Our Mother
by darthluna01
Summary: AU. Following the destruction of Death Star II, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and the droids are off on another adventure - to Naboo. Unbeknown to the twins, they are amidst family closer than they might have expected.
1. A Long, Long Time Ago

_Polis Massa Medical Ward_

Medical droids buzzed about in the Maternity Ward, working controls and observing the holo-chart adjacent to the patient's head. Master Jedis Yoda and Kenobi, along with Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan waited and watched anxiously from behind the glass walls. One of the medical droids had informed them that the patient's condition wasn't going well.

_"Medically, she's completely healthy. For reasons we can't explain, we're losing her."_

_"She's dying?" asked a bewildered Obi-Wan._

_"We don't know why. She has lost the will to live. There is still hope she may come around. But it is still very slim. We must operate quickly to save the babies."_

_"Babies__?" Organa was only aware of one._

_"She's carrying twins." The droid held out his mechanical arms in something of a shrug._

_As it glided back into the room, the others were left to gape worriedly._

Padme lay uncomfortably on the medical table, thinking to herself in silent anguish.

_I feel so alone. The pain of childbirth is nothing. I am so...broken. I can barely breathe right. I just want to crawl into a corner and forget about life. Because without Anakin there is no life. I want to give up. My mind and body are both going toward this path, and I don't care if I can't stop it. I don't feel like life is worth living anymore._

_But there's another part of me, one that knows all these desires are selfish, no matter how justified. That I need to live for my children. That despite all the horrible deeds their father has comitted, they deserve to live. They do not deserve to be punished for their father's mistakes. So with every once of strength I have left, I will bring them into the world._

She inhaled deeply, determined to fight to the end. Contractions had been getting closer and closer together, meaning that the time was soon. She had been administered a drug to keep away the pain until the very last minute. Padme felt everything full force, starting to sweat, pant and scream all at the same time. A "female" droid instructed her to raise her legs, putting a sort of privacy screen over them once they were in the correct position.

After that, everything went quickly. The pain mounted, until she thought it couldn't get worse.

The droid told her to breathe. "Oo-bah...Oo-bah..."

With a mammoth effort, she pushed as hard as possible, crying. Her work paid off, as a victorious cry was heard.

"Isita _Oido_." A boy! Searching the depths of her brain, Padme tried to find his proper name.

"Luke." Obi-Wan held the beautiful boy up to her, acting as Anakin's subsitute. Obi-Wan delicately held the baby in his arms out to his mother as she touched the side of her son's face. "Oh, Luke."

Padme shouted as an almighty contraction mounted again and with what little strength she had left, Padme pushed the small life form out of her.

The cries of two newborns mingled with eachother. "Isita _Oida._" Obi-Wan, awkward to be holding one baby, said, "It's a girl!"

Relieved that the struggle was over, Padme exhaled. "Leia."

But the effort of childbirth combined with the horrible events in the last few standard hours had taken their toll on the Senator, and she could feel herself fading.

She spoke slowly, gasping for air. "Obi-Wan..." her whisper was so quiet he had to lean in closer to hear correctly, "...there's good in him...I know, I know there's...still." With that, Padme fell into the depths of sleep. The unselfish part of her clung on to life, as if knowing that someday far into the unpredictable future, her children would need her.

Luke and Leia's cries echoed through the building as the only sentient-made sounds. Alarmed, Obi-Wan asked, "What's wrong?"

The droid hesitated to answer, but it was against his programming not to. "For reasons we can't explain, she has gone into a comatose state."

"What? Is there anything you can do?"

"No, I'm afraid not. We will have to keep her here for some time. It is unsure how long it will take her to awaken."

So, unsure of when that would happen, the two Jedi masters separated Luke and Leia to their respective foster homes. Luke was sent to Tattooine, his father's home planet; and Leia was adopted into the Royal House of Alderaan by Viceroy Bail and Queen Breha Organa. During this time, Padme remained in the Polis Massa Facility, until it closed about ten standard years before the Battle of Yavin. Nobody knew what became of the Old Republic's Nubian senator, and no one ever did find out. Someday would come soon...

* * *

Luke Skywalker awoke to the early morning sun of Endor's sanctuary moon, letting the golden rays filter through the cracks in the sleeping cabin. Slowly, the young Jedi rose, careful not to rustle the sleep covering too much, lest he wake his companions. Luke took a quick glance at Han, Leia, and Chewbacca, all of whom were still laying under the blankets quietly. Well, except for Han, who snored like a bantha in heat. Luke stealthily made his way out of the cabin on his tip-toes all the way to the thick of the forest, managing not to wake anyone.

He sat down on a pile of dried moss and leaves for morning meditation, using the Force to clear his mind. Distorted, blurry images and feelings surfaced his mind, tainted the previous clarity. They were so brief and pieced together that they came in flashes:

_Luke took a breath, tasting the metallic, medicinal air about him and it was very hard to see or hear anything just yet...but, there was a woman and two familiar presences...he could just make out the brown of her hair and eyes, yet it was still hard to see..he _felt_ smooth, soft, gentle skin graze his cheek...yet what was clearer than anything so far was what he heard...'Obi-Wan...there's good in him...I know, I know there's...still.'_

_But wait? Something was wrong...what happened? He and one other familiar presence began to cry--_

"Luke!"

Luke heard the familiar voice and opened his eyes to find himself sprawled out on all fours, sweating. A worried Leia bent down next to him. "Luke, are you alright?"

Her brother could only respond by shaking his dirty blonde head from side to side and say, "Huh?"

Leia's eyebrows were furrowed concernedly. "You were screaming and the others thought you had gotten attacked by something--or worse."

Able to inhale normally again, Luke replied, "I'm fine. Just..." he contemplated the correct phrase,"a bad dream." He paused unsure of what else to tell her.

"Sorry I woke everyone up," he added as an afterthought.

Attempting to right her expression, she replied, "It's alright, Luke. But Mon Mothma is waiting for us all on the com."


	2. Happy Landings

Mon Mothma's voice was slightly scratchy through the transmission, but the Rebels could hear her well nonetheless. _"Congratulations - Commander Skywalker, General Solo, Princess Leia. The death of the Emperor has served as a severe blow to the Empire, and now we have much work ahead of us to eliminate their tyranny completely. It's been three days now, and many Imperial supporters are taking to riots. The most violent of them are on Palpatine's home planet of Naboo. Your mission is to put an end to the violence. Make them see reason. Luckily, you have an experienced politician and debator among you. We will send you the coordinates and necessary information immediately. I have much faith that you will succeed. It is essential to convert this planet pro-democracy again, because other planets will take to their example. May the Force be with you, Mothma out."_

Han was the first one to speak up. "We've gotta go have peace talks? I'm just glad that it's not my job, Your Worship. At least I've got the _Falcon_ back. I wonder if Lando stuck to his promise. If not..."

As Han went off to ensure that Lando had indeed kept his promise, Leia began to take charge, ordering the other officers about in preparation for take off. They would depart as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Luke was left to gather his things and prepare the droids with the somewhat awkward feeling about this planet and the new mission. _Naboo_...the name seemed familiar.

* * *

_Aboard the Millenium Falcon_

"I can't believe what that maniac did to my ship!" said Han for about the umpteenth time that day. Apparently, more than a scratch had been inflicted on the precious YT-1300. Leia sat there listlessly, attempting to concentrate on their assignment.

"I mean, he said that he would let her get 'a scratch'. I guess I'm just lucky that I still have 'er."

Trying not to lose her temper, Leia suddenly ran out of the cockpit, hands clasped tightly over her ears.

Frowning, Han asked, "What's with her?" Chewie guffawed from the co-pilot's seat. "Yeah? Well laugh it up fuzzball!"

Luke leaned back casually as Han launched into a long dissertion about what he would need to replace, and how much it would cost him. Slowly, Luke fell into sleep from the boredom of space travel, or rather Han's pointless ranting.

_Luke heard a muffled conversation. His sister was there, he could hear laughter. There was a woman, she was familiar...somehow. And another man - his father? Luke tried to open is eyes and see for himself what was happening. But that proved to be impossible. Everything was so dark and blurred it made no difference whether his eyes were opened. Nevertheless, he could only hear a few words._

_"...about Palo?" the woman was saying._

_"No! Definitely not...other ideas?"_

_"Luke?" _

_"...your first date?" _Luke wished he could hear more clearly.

_The woman laughed. She had a nice laugh, almost like Leia's. "No. My sister...for names and Luke was the only boy name I really liked."_

_"Oh. Luke Skywalker," his father tested the name, "Luke Skywalker. I like it."_

_"Imagine, Luke or Leia Skywalker. I'm so happy Ani."_

_"So am I, angel." _

A gentle prod. "Luke! Kid! Wake up!"

The sleeping Jedi snorted and the sandy blonde head shot up instantly. "Whazgonon?"

"We're closin' in on Nibble, or whatever the place's called. I don't want you to sleep through the landing."

"It's Naboo, Han," Luke replied automatically.

About to make a retort, the Corellian stopped short when a red emergency light began to flicker and emanate high-pitched beeps. At the same time, the ship began to ecperience more than mild turbulence. Obviously, something was wrong.

Chewbacca began on a set of incoherent angry roars and growls.

"WHAT?!"

Leia emerged from the door on the far left, slightly wobbly and green from the sudden lurch. "_What_ is going on out there?"

"Buckle in Princess, 'cause we're gonna make a crash landing."

"WHAT!?" the twins screamed in unison.

The pilot ignored the two a the Falcon began to enter Naboo's atmosphere, he and his Wookiee co-pilot were frantically pressing buttons and working switches. From entering the atmosphere so fast the ship once again began to shake, causing C-3PO to add his two cent's worth.

"...Captain Solo, Captain Solo! The odds of surviving a crash landing are three-million five-hundred twenty-seven-thousand eight-hundred ninety-four to one!"

"Shut up, Goldenrod! And I told you to never tell me the odds!"

"Why, I--"

"_Please _shut up, Threepio."

"Shutting up, sir."

It wasn't quiet for long, however, when the _Falcon _began to get closer and closer to the large cluster of trees covering the picturesque Naboo. Luke heard a series of cracks and bangs as the ship crashed into the forest below.

The human passengers were jerked out of their seats from the impact, and the droids shrieked in protest of inertia. Artoo was flung to the far side of the room.

After a long, tumultuous time of which they couldn't be entirely sure, the _Falcon _came to a creaky halt. All on board exhaled in temporary relief. Leia opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off with a sickening crunch. Everything went black as their ship once again descended, all of them shrieking in terror.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the nearby hidden city of Otoh Gunga, young Abso Bar Binks prepared for a house party his mother would be hosting to celebrate the Emperor's death. All of his fellow Rebel Gungan Freedom Fighters would be attending, because not only was this party about Palpatine's death, but also the arrival of Abso's father, who was due any time now. _Yet, _Abso reflected, _Mesa Daddy was always, uh, clumsy._ So he wasn't exactly sure of the specific time of his arrival.

With nothing to do, the anxious Gungan went on the lookout for some sort of transport, ascending the swamp. He had not seen his father in a very long time, and the presents and messages he had attempted to sent were usually destroyed or failed to arrive.

After rambling around the forest unsuccessfully for some time, he heard a rumbling somewhere in the distance. Pricking up his ears excitedly, he could hear it coming nearer, the sounds also becoming clearer. The trees crackled and Nubian birds squawked in fright, rustling the leaves. The ground below him rumbled until everything came to a sudden stop. Abso listened intently, but there was only silence.

Suddenly, there was a deafening crack and a mass of dirt, leaves, and broken branches came into view along with a ship that could have been a YT-1300, but now was heavily modified. "Itsa moodified to lookin' like a piece a junk, mesa tinkin," Abso mumbled quietly.

Curious, he carefully sauntered over to it, flapping his arms and shouting. Knowing his father, this bucket of bolts would be the kind of thing to arrive in, and the landing was typical. Examining the scratches, Abso tapped the ship lightly with one orange finger. "Yousa in dere! Are yousa peoples okee-day?"

* * *

AN: I hope that was 'okee-day'. Review?


	3. Comrades To the Rescue

Groaning, Luke massaged the large red bump swelling on the left side of his forehead. It was dark in the cockpit, but he could see his friends stirring.

"Han? Leia? Chewie? Are you guys alright?"

The Wookie growled back first. [That was horrible. One of the worst landings we have ever had. My head feels dislocated.]

"Ya got that right Chewie. It feels worse than the time I got drunk on Corporate Sector--"

Leia moaned in pain to interrupt Han, with her arm bent at an odd angle. "I think my elbow actually _is_ dislocated. Han, do you have a medical kit somewhere on this bucket of bolts?"

"Yeah, yeah, Princess. Here, I'll fix up your arm."

While Han attended to Leia, Luke reached out with the Force to find out where in the blazes they were on this foreign planet. He could sense...a lot of trees, birds and maybe a lake nearby. Something he hadn't expected from the Emperor's homeworld. And then he felt it...a life form...almost humanoid, but different.

At this precise moment, he heard someone shout in Basic. "Yousa in dere! Are yousa peoples okee-day?"

"What's that?"

"What's what?" said Han, oblivious to the yelling sentient outside.

_"Halloo! Hallo in dere! I'sa__ speakin to yous!"_

"That!"

"I don't know!"

"Well, I'm going to check it out. They may be able to help us." Luke lowered the ramp of the Falcon, making sure his lightsaber was within reach.

"Hallo y--" Upon seeing Luke, the orange amphibian creature spoke on lower decibals. "Oh, Hallo there. Mesa called Abso Bar Binks. Do yous know Jar Jar Binks?"

Seeing that he was harmless and unarmed, Luke replied, "No, I'm afraid I don't know anyone by that name. I'm Luke Skywalker. Exactly what is this place? Are we close to the Capital City?"

"Teed, yous mean? Itsa probly take yous longo time gettin dere. But, ah, maybe yous not go dere. Lotta fightin over da Emperor, you know. Yousa in the forest, it don't have any name. Not many peoples live here, yousa see."

Luke cleared his throat. "I can see that. Why are you here, so far out in the wilderness?"

"I'sa Gungan, native to dis planet. Why'sa yous ship landin here anyways?"

"Could you tell me how close we are to the Capital City?"

"Well, if yousa takin dat ship, could get there 15 minutes."

_After that crash landing? _"I'm not completely sure that we'll be able to get our ship up and running. Is there any other way?" Luke sounded hopeful. There must be some sort of transport around here.

Abso tilted his head skyward, thinking. "Uh...if yous go now on foot...itsa gonna take yous...a day."

Incredulous, the other exclaimed, "A day?"

The amphibian humanoid shrugged. "Are there _no _transports nearby that we could borrow?"

Abso looked a little nervous, unsure if he should confide in the outlander. "Uhh...well..."

Luke persisted further. "Please, my friends and I need your help."

Abso looked uncomfortable under pressure. Finally, he spoke. "Okee-day. Yousa gotta promise dat yous not gonna tell. On ya word of honor. Even if yous ain't Imperials, dere'sa no knowin'..."

The Jedi Knight smiled, glad that he hadn't even had to use any mind tricks this time. He then clambered back into the ship while Binks whistled softly outside the ramp.

When Luke re-entered, Han was in the midst of wiring on of the many concealed panels, while Chewbacca and Artoo untangled a mass of cords and wires.

"Chewie! The bottom gun has been damaged and the hyperdrive generator is leaking. We've got no power and next-to-no parts! I can't believe this!"

"Han! I've found someone who can help us. A local. The droids can watch the ship so you can find parts somewhere. We've got to get going, so pack whatever you need. I think he'll be able to lend us some transportation."

"Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Well, we have no other options, do we? Our own ship is damaged without the necessary parts, we've got no other means of transportation, and it will take us a day to get to the planet's Capital which is currently holding mass riots. If you have any better ideas..."

Leia nodded silently. For once, she would just have to wing it.

They proceeded down the ramp with the droids to watch over the _Falcon. _Han was quite reluctant at leaving his precious ship behind, but upon Leia's -er- insistence, he complied grudgingly. Abso Bar led them in a twisty path through the woods for about an hour until they reached a fairly large swamp. They hesitated, but their guide motioned for them to near the edge of the swamp.

With an acrobatic leap and twirl, Abso flung himself into the middle of the swamp, producing a great splash. The others peered caustiously, wondering exactly where all this was going. A pair of orange ears emerged from the water.

"Hey, yousa comin'? Mesa home city is undawater. C'man!"

Luke, Leia and Han exchanged looks, but from Luke assuring nod, Leia extracted breathing devices from her emergency belt and the four proceeded down the murky waters...

* * *

All Luke knew was that they were very deep down underwater. So deep, in fact, that there was no light to be seen. As he finished this tought, however, a large set of lights shone ahead. Squinting, he saw that the lights were actually in clusters, formed in the shape of orbs. They looked rather like the glittery ornaments Aunt Beru had enjoyed on festival week.

The others noticed too, having heard them gasp (more like a deep hum, considering their breathers). Now Luke began to wonder when they would stop, and exactly what the orbs were. He sensed numerous life-forms in addition to this which was somewhat confusing.

Abso flexed his amphibian legs with great speed, until he came close to the outer wall of one of the biggest lighted orbs. Then he was _sucked _into it. Now they were starting to get very confused, but nonetheless followed suit.

The clear walls of the orbs were like gel, sucking them into the inside where the rebels found it to be fairly warm and completely dry. Leia removed the breather and gazed around the inside in awe. Chewie growled about not being wet anymore, and how he was quite puzzled.

Binks turned to them, very serious. "Okee-day. Dis mesa home, Otoh Gunga. Wesa Gungans livin' here in peace, and deysa not likin' da Naboo, or da Outlanders. So yousen gotta be careful, okee-day? I'sa gonna take'a yous to da Boss, maybe yousa can get a transport dere."

Abso let them down to the deeper level of the city which included a corridor full of several spacious rooms. The Gungan led them to one of the farthest chambers and halted at the door to knock. They waited momentarily until the door was opened by a greener skinned, quite tall Gungan who had a broader face and hooded eyes.

"Yes? What'sa yous busy-niss?" The guard spoke stiffly as if on protocol.

Abso stood erect and replied, "I'sa requestin ta see da Boss Tarpals, Cap'n Maroo."

"On what busy-niss?" queried Maroo.

"Deysa are outlanders, theysa lookin' fa some help. I'sa bringin dem to da Boss."

"Yousa waitin here den, then yousa can come in once yous called. No weapons." The guard held out his hand, motioning for Han and Leia's blasters to come forward. They were somewhat reluctant, but in the end digressed along with Chewie who had to give up his bowcaster. Yet the guard looked about Luke to find any sort of weapon, not taking the lightsaber and dismissing it as a piece of metal.

The rebels were obliged to sit patiently. Chewie moaned in displeasure. [I hate getting wet! And they took my crossbow!]

"I agree with you one-hundred percent Chewie. I feel naked without my blaster."

"Just sit tight. You'll be seeing it soon," reassured Luke.

Another female Gungan came from behind the door. "Yousa can all be gettin in dere now."


	4. Old Aquaintances

The female Gungan led them into the chamber, which looked much like a court, a wide panel of judges sitting behind the table and one elaborately dressed Gungan that sat at the head of the table. This one was thin and a dark brown, looking similar to Abso Bar Binks in shape, but he was very old and had attained whiskers in his age. Despite his apparent frailty, he sat alert and rapt, watching them intently with his orange eyes.

Along with the panel of what they assumed to be judges, many guards were aligned throughout the room and some even stood behind the panel. The old Gungan spoke hoarsely, but with clarity. "Welcome to Otoh Gunga, outlanders. I'sa is Boss Tarpals and we'sa are da Gungan So-city. We'sa mussen be askin - what'sa yousen purpoos here?"

Leia, ever-the diplomat spoke first. "We are here on a diplomatic mission to Naboo and are due at the Capital City of Theed. I am Leia Organa, formerly the Princess of the Alderaan, and a member of the Rebel Alliance. We are here to find a transport to the City of Theed. Our ship has had a crash landing and cannot be repaired for some time; thus we found Mr. Binks, who has brought us to your city. We come in peace and beg for your help."

At this, many of the council members murmured in awe to each other while the elder Gungan frowned and muttered, "Dat Binks, just'a liken his fadder..." Shaking his head, Tarpals spoke louder and replied, "Ah, I'sa see. What'sa yousen wantin' from us? We'sa no helpin' dem up dere, deysa still banishin' us. What'sa yous mission?"

"We are here to eradicate the last of the Empire and let diplomacy resume. If you can help us, we will be forever in your debt." Leia chose to bow and dip her head at this time in a gesture that a few of the panel recognized.

Han mumbled to Luke, "She definitely knows how to play 'er cards, kid."

Boss Tarpals pondered this for a moment and then leaned to whisper into his advisor's ear. Hushed whispers where exchanged, echoing around the courtroom. Finally, they came to a decision.

Boss Tarpals cleared his throat loudly and slammed his gavel atop the glistening table. "We'sa have comin' to a dission. We'sa only have undawater ships. We'sa can provide yousen kaadus and Gungs to guide yous. Yousa may stay in Otoh Gunga while tings are prepared."

"We thank you, sir, and appreciate your hospitality." Leia bowed, but then saw Han motion to her. Hurriedly, she added, "Oh, and may I have permission to inquire of one more thing?"

Tarpals cocked on brow but nodded nevertheless. "Well, sir, are there any shops or any way at all to obtain parts to a YT-1300? Our ship has crashed and General Solo will need to repair it."

The elder opened his mouth to speak, but one other of the Council spoke first. "Of course! We'sa havin' lotta parts! When yous leave dis leval, yousa gonna go up tree more levals and den on da right is a spare parts shop."

* * *

The female Gungan secretary, Lana So Gallos, led them out to the exit of the courtroom level and showed them the way to the other levels. She told them that they would be notified once the kaadus and all would be ready. Abso continued to follow them around as their guide until they found the parts shop, then he left the Rebels alone to find the Lana So, who he seemed to have a thing for.

They had just enough credits to purchase a hyperdrive generator, gunner charges, power couplings and some spare parts. After doing so, they loaded the parts into a case to carry with them on the way.

By the time the Gungans had arranged the last of the Rebel's travel plans, the clear Nubian sky had gone a dark hue of purple with rows of stars faceted across it.

Lana So Gallos approached the group as they were finishing their rather unusual supper of Gungan cuisine in the main dining hall.

"Yousen prep-arishins fineesh'd. Yousen followin' me."

She waited for them to gather their belongings and proceeded to lead them to a structure reminiscent to a docking bay. In the bay was a band of around a dozen Gungs, most being male. All carried strap-on weapons, and each mounted a kaadu, an amphibian pack animal.

At the head of the group was Abso Bar Binks, and a rather old yet similar-formed Gungan, both with cheesy grins plastered on their faces.

"Hallo, Princess Organi! Dis mesa fadda, Jar Jar Binks, Daddy, dis Princess Organi and her'sa Rebel friends."

Jar Jar stepped forward clumsily and grasped Leia's hand to swing it vigorously back and forth, like a handshake. The others stifled laughter, while Leia was somewhat affronted, but shook back politely.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Binks. Your son has been very helpful, and your people very hospitable. We appreciate all they are doing."

Jar Jar looked close to tears, which surprised her. "Oh, me'sa heart's tumpin wit joy! I'sa usen to know yousa fadda! Oh, I'sa bein' moi moi happy to be meetin' yous. Oh, and hallo dere! Who'sa are yousa?"

Jar Jar shifted hands with Han, Luke and Chewbacca quite ecstatically. This Gungan had known her father? She resolved to find out more. Yet the million questions running rapid through her mind like a river were dammed up by the need for decorum.

"This is General Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon, a very fast ship, but yet it made a crash landing on us."

Han eyed her menacingly. "Well, Princess, it's _the _fastest ship in the galaxy, and made the Kessel Run in _twelve parsecs_!"

Disregarding Han's extraneous remarks, she pointed to her brother. "And this is Commander Luke Skywalker. Now, this is Chewbacca, co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon." She opted not to mention her relation to Luke; it was not a welcome subject up for questioning.

The older Gungan's eyes bulged in awe as he stared at Luke. "Yousa _DAT BOY_? Oh, I'sa knowin' yous daddy too! Ani Skywalker, yousa lookin jus' likey him!"

Now Jar Jar was finally reduced to tears. While he calmed down, Han mumbled half-joking and half-hopeful, "I wonder if he knows _my _father too..."

Taking advantage of Jar Jar's temporary silence, Lana So spoke. "We'sa havin' no time for chit-chat. We'sa are da Gungan Freedom Fighters. We'sa gonna be accompanin' yous to da Capital City. It'sa time to get goin', best time ta be goin' is at night. Less patrols, less trouble-o. We'sa be taking da back routes. Usin' dose breaders ta be swimmin to da surface, den rest is easy. Unless we'sa getting caught by da patrols - yous usin' dese."

She pointed to their blasters and the electro-rods that hung from the kaadus. Leia nodded.

"We understand. Let's get going before dawn breaks."

After those months on Hoth, they were used to mounting Taun tauns, similar in form to kaadus. To their surprise, old Jar Jar Binks clambered onto one of the free pack animals. Boss Tarpals came to bid them farewell, and forewarned Jar Jar not to be clumsy before they departed.

* * *

The night was chilly and all was silent. Their surroundings hid them from any foreign presence and a cool breeze sauntered through the trees. They, the Rebels and Gungans, had been twisting and turning through the foreign paths covered in wood for around five standard hours, according to Leia's wrist chrono.

Innumerably cold and bored, she sifted through the group toward Jar Jar Binks, who looked ready to fall asleep. So as not to startle him she tapped his shoulder lightly before whispering, "Hello, sir. I seem to recognize your son now. He was a little bit familiar and I believe he was my decoy on the _Tantive V_ four years ago. You must be very proud of your son, he was very brave to face Vader." Why did she say that?


	5. Stories Unfold

A/N: Gungans have a certain accent that requires normal English words to be misspelled.

* * *

"Oh yes, I'sa moi moi proud. I'sa also proud dat he helpin yous. I'sa also bein' proud of yous and lil' Lukie. I knew yous daddy and Lukie's mommy daddy. Oh, I'sa good friends wit dem. So sad, dey gone. Now I'sa de only one left except for Mon Motma and Lukie's mommy's friend."

Leia was surprised to find it so easy to get information out of the Gungan, but also at how useful the information could be. _He knew my mother? My real mother?, _she thought. She pushed further.

"Really? You knew Luke's mother? What was she like? After all, Luke didn't know his parents." _She must have been absolutely crazy to marry a monster like Vader, much less procreate with him. _

Jar Jar's gaze lingered on her a moment, then said, "Well, Padme'sa lookin lots like yous actually. She was Senator too, like yousa daddy, moi moi good. Deysa bein good friends too. Padme was'a moi moi smart, lotta brains an' guts. She'sa usin ta be Queen a dis planet longo time 'go. Fourteen too." He paused. _Queen at fourteen? _

Binks continued enthusiastically. "Back den, I'sa was jus' yousen age, young an' clumsy. Me'sa still clumsy. One day I'sa meetin Quee-Gon an' he'sa savin' my life from da bombad Trade Feda-rashon ships. We'sa - Obi, Quee-Gon an' me'sa - goin' troo' da Planet Core. Den we'sa meetin Lukie's mommy, Padme, who'sa was da Queen, and Sabby, who'sa was Padme's decoy an' handymaid. Den, we'sa goin' on a ship, gettin' shot an' den dat droid is'a savin' us all! Den we'sa have no power, landin' on Tat-ween an' meetin' lil' Ani Skywalker."

Jar Jar was a little too enthusiastic, flailing his arms about and close to shouting, earning a loud 'Shh!' from all the others.

The old man continued, regardless. "Den Ani flyin' in bombad race, wininin' parts, money an' bein' free. He'sa leavin' _his _mommy to go become Jedi wit Quee-Gon and Obi. We'sa goin' to Corsant and they'sa big Senator people havin' bombad fight. We'sa goin' back to da Naboo an' joinin' forces wit da Gungs, den fightin' bombad fight as bombad general. We'sa winnin', Quee-Gon dyin' an' Ani become Jedi Padderwan for Obi. Rest history. Ani an' Padme marry secret, dey dyin after da war over, me'sa tinks an' now I find dey havin' a son! I'sa so happy dat dey did, sad Lukie not knowin' dem. Padme funeral tree years after Empire, we'sa never findin Ani, probably dyin' wit all da other Jedi. Ani was a bombad hero in dose wars, Padme bein' real brains in da Senate. I'sa bein' a Representative back den, before da Empire."

The last word was said with certain resentment and finished off his story ominously. That was only the beginning. Jar Jar believed that Anakin Skywalker had died in the Jedi Purge like all the others. _Well, too bad that's not what happened. _Leia was brooding somewhat. She knew that Darth Vader could never be her father, no matter what biology or Luke said.

Bail Organa was her father, and nothing could change that. Darth Vader had killed her real father, along with her people and her world. Leia was understandably bitter, leaving her in a sour mood the rest of the trip.

* * *

Dawn broke over the horizon, illuminating the terrain overhead. The domed buildings of Theed glimmered in the light of sunrise. Even in the early morning, the streets crowded with protesters and Imperial forces attempting to fend off the hordes. The Rebels cautiously made their way to the rendezvous point, where they would be might by other pro-democracy Nubians.

They traversed through the backway, heading for a house somewhere due north of their current point. It belonged to an old Nubian family who had faced hardship at the hand of the Imperials, and had volunteered their house as a base of some kind to the Rebel Alliance.

Lana So Gallos occasionally pointed out a building with historical importance, the style of it, and what importance it had. After an hour in Theed, they skulked around the -er- shadier area of society, seeing several homeless people walking about the streets, begging in the early morning.

They soon came upon a run-down and most likely closed hospital. The group dismounted and strode in quietly to look around.

It appeared that someone, or rather, people awaited them inside. A hooded figure stood in the corner with five others in the other corner; Han's hand immediately dropped to his blaster, but the person, a female, spoke calmly. "Don't worry, we're not here to threaten you. Come - rest your kaadu here and we will escort you back to the base where we can talk. Are you not General Han Solo?"

Reluctantly, Han slid off the animal, keeping eyes on the unidentified female. "Yeah, that's me."

Luke had a feeling of déja vu wash over him in a great tide. It was the woman in the hood. There was something suspiscious about her, Luke's instincts were screaming at him, but he wasn't quite sure of what to do. So he did the only thing he could do - he followed with his senses alert.

Meanwhile, Leia was feeling wary of the whole situation. It seemed logical, but yet she knew something was wrong. Totally wrong. In the circumstances, she too didn't have the ability to do much at the moment, but she made sure to be extra cautious - she had had enough experience at Bespin to be suspicious.

The residential area of the city was a maze, twisting and turning, coming up with dead ends all over. Leia made it a point to pay attention to the route, but with all the alleys and similar houses, it was hard to keep up. They came to an abrupt halt, staring at a fairly large house, and judging by its worn appearance to be at least forty years old.

Despite its age, the house had held up quite well, and the owners seemed to be taking very good care of it. The lawn was an abundant green, trees dotted every often and flowers grew at the front of the house. Han estimated it was two or three stories, maybe including a basement, and that the people that actually lived in the house must have been upper middle class in society. Large windows spanned the first floor, glittery like a corusca gem.

The woman who met them at the old hospital scurried up the steps the front door of the house, knocking in a coded rhythm. When the door was opened, she paused, said something inaudible to whoever was behind it, and was permitted entrance. The woman motioned them forward.

The inside of the house was grander and cozier than the outside. Now with her hood uncovered, they saw the mysterious woman from the hospital in a better light.

Her hair was a dark brown, with only slight streaks of grey tugging at the hair above her ears and at her hairline. The woman's eyes were another deep brown, round, and soft. They were calculating and powerful, hiding things and detecting others clearly. Her eyes held a certain fire, a passion, as well as sympathy and kindness. The woman's figure was slim, but she was well built and very fit. Few signs of age manifested themselves, but the slight hollowness of her cheeks made her weariness evident.

At this time, she held out her hand and introduced herself. "Greetings, I'm the leader of the Nubian Rebellion - otherwise known as Blue Hand Squadron. I'm honored to be meeting you, General Solo, Princess Organa, Commander Skywalker. My name is Sabé Corrin, and this is our base, the Naberrie house."


	6. New Findings, New Qualms

Jar Jar smiled at Leia, who identified Sabé as the woman he had been speaking of earlier. Leia extended her hand in greeting, receiving a brief shake while Han and Chewie did the same.

Luke still had some suspicions as to whether she was trustworthy. Giving her a challenging stare, he shook her hand firmly. A pang of déja vu surfaced their minds, but it left as soon as it came. They continued to stare at each other until the woman who opened the door interrupted the awkward silence.

"Sabé, shouldn't we show them their rooms? They must be tired. And the others may want to have a bite to eat."

Sabe squinted and gave a small shake of her head before replying, "Of course, of course. Right, Sola? Uh...just follow her please."

Leia and Han now glared at Luke, wondering what was wrong. Sabé ventured into the kitchen to feed the Gungans, while the woman named Sola ascended the staircase. She told them that each was assigned a different space, except for Chewie, who insisted on sleeping in Han's room.

Sola was the matron of the house, she had lived there as a child, and had been running it ever since her father's death and mother's health had decreased. Her children had moved away into the center of Theed to become schooled. Sola Naberrie was kind, and very talkative, telling stories about old Naboo.

Her head was covered in sleek hazel strands that were streaked in silver, tied in a loose bun. Her eyes sparkled dark blue under a pair of spectacles, settling into the angles of her face. Sola's smile was a prominent feature lying just under her slightly large and pointy nose. All in all, Luke figured that she must have been quite pretty, but it had faded somewhat in the hardship of the war.

* * *

Leia followed Sola to the east side of the house. "This is my sister's old room, I hope you'll be comfortable here. Do you mind the old holos? I always keep them here in remembrance of her."

The Alderaanian took a glance around the room. It was quaint, and the bed looked comfy. There were three or four holos that hung on the wall, making the room feel something like home. "No, I like them. They make the room comfortable. We appreciate you letting us stay here, it's such a change from Rebel Base and so vital to our mission."

Sola laughed_. She has a nice laugh_. "I'd hope so, and you are very welcome. Well, if you need anything, I'll be around." She proceeded to close the door, leaving Leia alone to examine the holos.

The first was a picture of a couple, presumably man and wife, standing in front of the Naberrie house. They were smiling and holding hands with each other, looking quite happy. The man's hair was beginning to gray, as was the woman's, but they both had a kindly look about them. The man's face was round and jovial, beginning to gather wrinkles at his blue eyes. The woman had soft brown eyes like Leia, but her face was slender like Sola's. Her equally brown hair was held up in a loose bun, plain and simple.

The next holo was of two young girls, the first being around seven, and a half a head taller than the other. She was also smiling and laughing, clapping her hands to her mouth. The second had the cutest round face and ruddy curls, giggling freely. She looked around being four standard years old.

The holo that came after was one that struck Leia in particular.

It looked like a young version of Sabé, maybe thirteen years old, swinging back and forth with two youngling aliens. They were singing and hugging each other. Leia felt a certain bond to the girl in the picture. She seemed very sad, yet was trying to be happy for the sake of her companions.

Ripping her eyes away from the brunette girl, she saw something that made her stomach flip.

It was a picture of the same girl, grown, looking exactly like Sabé. She was standing in front of the house like the first couple, along with another young man. He had clear cerulean eyes and sandy blond hair that was kept close to his head except for a small braid at the back. He looked uncannily like Luke. The braided man had handsome features, was taller than the Sabe look-alike, and wore robes of dark brown and black.

_They feel so familiar...I don't know why. _

She peered at the corner of the holo's projector. There was a small bit of flimsy that stuck out. Curious, Leia disengaged the flimsy from its place. Evidently, it had been there quite a long time. The writing was quite faded, and dust had gathered on the edges of it. It unfolded with a crinkle.

_Today, I almost slipped again. I'm convinced it's his smile. Sola took this today and I made the mistake of looking right at him. I feel like my knees are going to melt away whenever he smiles. And when he smiles, his very face beams like the sun. Or maybe it's his eyes. They're so...blue. I feel like I'm going to swim in them they're so blue. It could be his hair, so blond and wavy. There, I've done it again._

_I know I'm not supposed to be feeling these things, but I can't help it. Once I start I can't stop. This isn't what I felt with Palo or any one else I've ever had a relationship with. While Anakin is around, I feel so comfortable and safe, yet vulnerable all at the same time. I wish I could tell him how I really feel. But even if he feels the same way, "_we" _could never be. It's forbidden, after all, for a Jedi to have attachments. _

_Sometimes I wish we had never found him on Tatooine. But then I think how different life would have been if I had never known and felt _this_. I wish he had never kissed me in the Lake Country, even if I wanted it. I wish this were simpler, but that's how I'm always going to remember this holo. (This is torture.)_

_-Padme_

Leia stared at the flimsy for a long time. She read it again much slower, taking in every detail. As if in a trance, Leia began to rummage through the drawers, under the furniture, and inside every nook and cranny. This writing was of her mother. She had never known a mother. The prose, however strange in its context, was addicting as some exotic fruit she had not tasted.

She needed to know more. She needed her own closure, to find the story on her own terms.


	7. A Checkered Past

Clothes, books, and sheets of flimsy lay in a discarded mess upon the floor of the bedroom. One-armed and determined, Leia rummaged through the things in the closet in search of more concealed documents. So far, her search was fruitless, but she kept up the hope that she would find something. While ransacking the sock drawer, someone knocked on the door.

"Leia?" It was Han.

"Uh..." She quickly stuffed as many things as possible into the cramped closet. "Yes?"

"Sabé's made something to eat. Wanna join us?"

Leia's stomach emitted a loud growl in reply. "Yes, Han. Um, I'll be down soon. Don't wait for me."

He paused, possibly feeling awkward. "Sure, okay. We'll be waitin' for ya."

"Thanks, I'll just...tidy up." She finished, looking at the chaos which prostrated itself all over her floor. Listening for Han's footsteps to fade, she quickly jammed the heap of stuff under the bed, resolving that she could clean it later.

* * *

Sabé busied herself in the Naberrie kitchen, trying to concentrate on something other than that slightly odd encounter with Luke Skywalker_. _For some reason, she was trembling, and her heart felt like it was going to burst from blood pressure. Somehow, the man was familiar_. _Those eyes...

The clarity of those blue eyes made her feel like she was beginning to remember something, but every time she thought she had taken hold of it, it slipped away again. Frustrated, she hacked at the vegetables for soup and then dumped them unceremoniously into the pot. Sabé cleaned up and then put the lid on the pot, waiting for it to cook.

The Gungans chattered away at the table, fragments of their grammatically incorrect Basic reaching her ears. But Sabé was in a whole world of her own, deep in thought. _I wonder what's gotten into me. _The woman sighed wearily, and ran a shaking hand through her hair.

Something stirred deep in the recesses of her mind. The feeling had been there for some time. For eight years, this feeling lingered. It craved, like a piece of her was missing. _Ever since I joined with the Rebel Alliance. _Sabé recalled the day with the acutest accuracy:

_The brunette woman struggled to maintain order in the mass of people. The shelter was filled for supper time, and there were so many hungry mouths to feed, it was impossible to squeeze through the hall. Sabé winced at the cries of children, so helpless and vulnerable._

_"Mama? When's dinner coming? I'm hungry..."_

_A sickly odor permeated through the underground, a mix of sweat, vomit, blood, excrement, mildew and dirt. The shelter lay secluded in forgotten tunnels below the city's surface, making it an easy place to hide, despite it's uncleanliness. The homeless of Naboo had begun to gather here that many took pity on them and gave out food. Sabé was involved in that group of people and had been for several months. But the work was tiring, and getting supplies was a tricky business. The reality was that they were beginning to gather suspicion and run dry._

_With a stark outlook, Sabé rushed through the hoardes and escaped to the dingiest section, where most preferred to avoid. She let two small tears run down her face, through the blood spatter and grime. In her hand she held the concave stone and her thumb traced over its carvings. It too was smeared with blood. _

_Sabé's thoughts were dwelling on that morning, and the tears poured like twin streams. Eirtaé had died that morning, giving birth to her daughter, Kalae._

_"Sabe, promise me you'll take care of my little girl," she had said. "Promise!"_ _Sabé nodded, trembling. They were Eirtaé's final words. _

_With eyes like saucers, Sabé took the newborn into her tremulous arms and comforted the girl as best as she could. Kalae was silent, eerily so. Panicking, Sabé listened to the infant's chest - there was something wrong. _

_"Help! Somebody help! Something's wrong!" Another midwife sprinted into the dank chamber and immediately confirmed Sabé's fears; Kalae had followed her mother in passing. And that's when_ _she ran, the stench of the hall and where she sat now._

_Sabé sat on the grungy floor for sometime, not caring whether she had things to do. But then, just when she had begun to come around to reason, she heard hushed voices nearby, conversing in Basic._

_"What are you planning to do?"_

_"I don't know, we're running out of food, bedding, medical supplies, everything!" It was Jaren Siol, the man who had started the homeless-saving operation in the first place._

_The first voice, a female, responded calmly. "Well, there's not much anyone can do with the Imps breathing down our necks. You know, people are talking about setting up some sort of Rebellion. What do you..." She let the last word hang in the air, open for question._

_"That would be insane! Our planet has the strictest confinement, how are the people ever supposed to start any action with as you said, 'Imps breathing down our necks'?"_

_Now the female spoke with greater intensity at this point. "This operation of yours, is quite the same thing! How long do you expect it to last without proper planning? You're worrying about a lack of supplies, and are in the same position as the rest of us! The Rebellion is gathering more followers every day, and with more people on our side we can defeat the Empire and bring all this poverty to a stop! These people -victims- have been enslaved, taxed, and wronged by the Empire. Isn't it only right that Imperial reign come to an end?"_

_Jaren's voice hardened. "You're right. But there's nothing I can do. If it's all right, I'm going back to my duties. We're busy enough as it is."_

_The woman conceded defeat, even though her voice tried not to show it. "I understand. Thank you for your time Jaren. It's been nice seeing you."_

_Heavy footsteps followed the farewell, and Sabé released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Sabé got up quietly and peered into around the curb where a lone figure stood, back turned._

_"Who's there?" the woman barked._

_"I'm sorry if I startled you," Sabé stepped over slowly, "I overheard you, but I promise that I wasn't eavesdropping."_

_The muscles in the her shoulder's relaxed a little. "Ah, I see. So are you going to escort me out?"_

_"Oh, no...I was wondering whether what you said was entirely...solid."_

_Now the other turned, her eyes set defensively. "Yes, it's completely true. Things are just starting to change in this galaxy for the better, and people are getting hopeful. What do you want?"_

_Sabé pondered, not knowing what she was doing. Yet, she felt like it was right. "I want to join your Rebellion."_

The memory stopped there, just as the soup boiled. Mechanically, Sabé grabbed fourteen bowls and divvied up the soup. Sola called the others down while Sabé put on her best expression of happiness and calm. She placed the bowls and spoons around the table, along with a plate of toast that sat in the center. Her expression faltered when Luke Skywalker arrived first.


	8. Mum's the Word

Nevertheless, Sabé greeted him with a curt nod which he reciprocated with a nod of equal civility. She still could not understand what sort of grudge he could hold against her; they had only just met.

The chartreuse broth was slurped loudly while Sola recounted a tale of her daughter, Pooja. "So," Sola chortled, "my daughter was about...oh, seven years old, lots of silly ideas were coming to her head _all _the time. One of the more fantastic ones was when she had cut her hair clean off. My dears, that was the most frightful sight in the morning!

It was the beginning of festival week, and Pooja had returned home from school. She told me that she got teased a lot at school for her hair color, which used to be a very nice reddish brown and very curly. She envied Ryoo for her sleek brown air, and declared her resolution to chop it off. I'm afraid I didn't take her seriously; my mistake. That night, as we were all sleeping, Pooja crawled out of bed and took the shears from the kitchen. I went to wake her the next morning, and pulled back the covers to find her hair completely butchered!

It looked like she had cut it in different angles; in some places there was stubble and in others there would be large tufts of hair. I gave her a long lecture and snipped the straggly bits off, I was so mad. She had to do extra chores for a month, and she wasn't allowed to go near sharp objects for a few years until she got used to the idea hair could _not _grow back a different color if it was cut off."

The table erupted in laughter before Jobal Naberrie continued. "Yes, I remember when your father came down and saw her, he roared with amusement. Poor Pooja was so upset and she had to wear that ridiculous hat for two months! I wish-" But Jobal cut herself off, and a sad expression overtook her face.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Naberrie?" Leia asked worriedly.

Jobal smiled. "Oh, I'm fine dear. Don't worry about me. I'm just getting old. And please, call me Jobal."

Leia smiled back, and realized that the opportune moment flitted in front of her. Quite casually, Leia inquired, "Um, Jobal? So, how many children do you have?"

The smile slipped gently off the older woman's face. "I only have Sola here." She paused. "But, I did have another daughter. She's... passed away now. Her name was Padmé."

Jobal's reply confirmed Leia's suspicions. These people were her and Luke's relatives. Why else would those holos have been so familiar? "Oh, I'm sorry. I understand why you wouldn't want to talk about her."

Jobal's eyes were starting to grow wet, but she replied, "Well, it was a long time ago. I can only wonder. Please, excuse me." The aged lady, refined as possible, lifted herself slowly from the table and fled to the upstairs.

Once she was gone, her daughter said, "I'm sorry, my mother is very sensitive on the subject of my sister. She was only about twenty-seven when she died, you see."

"Whatever happened to her husband?" Leia played along assumptions, but was surprised at the answer she was given.

Sola looked a little confused. "My sister never married. Where did you get that idea?"

"Oh, well, I saw the holo of a young man and woman. I assumed it was your sister with her husband, that's all." She attempted to sound innocent.

Her aunt, now that Leia could really call her so, laughed again. "No, that was another Jedi who was assigned to be my sister's bodyguard a long time ago. I remember that holo, I took it myself. They both seemed to have a crush on each other - I teased them horribly. No, my sister wasn't really the type that would get into a relationship unless they measured up to her requirements - funny, intelligent, kind, and a host of who-knows-what.

"Also, she never had time. That was Padmé, always putting her duties above her best interests, her life. Eventually, I think her duty and her best interests...merged. Padmé was dedicated to 'preserving justice and freedom as an honest politician'. If she could see what had come after her death...well, she would die from shock and excruciating disappointment. You know Princess, she reminds me very much of you. She became the Queen of Naboo at fourteen - quite an early start, just like yourself."

Leia acknowledged back silently, her jaw set and teeth clenched to prevent any further pursuit to escape her while Luke shot her quizzical looks. She would be able to tell him later. Leia began to think she had been wrong. Maybe they weren't really Vader's children, and Vader had just brilliantly fooled Luke into thinking it. Clinging on to that shred of hope--

Jar Jar flung his tongue out - to everyone's disgust - and grabbed a piece of toast from the centerpiece, gulping it down with satisfaction. All eyes turned to him, and Abso Bar shook his head in embarrassment.

"What'sa yousen all is'a lookin' at?" The question was left unanswered and when Jar Jar attempted it a second time, Luke intervened and grabbed his tongue mid-flip, earning a good laugh from everyone and a glower from Jar Jar.

"_Don't," _implored Luke, "do that again." And he let Jar Jar's mouth free to waggle his tongue about.

Sabé was growing tired of the small talk, and prompted everyone to finish their seconds. "Alright, enough with this. We've got to get down to business, the Empire is not going to sit around and wait for us to make our move. Therefore, it is imperative that we get a move on, if I may say so."

Leia felt guilty; she had so deeply immersed herself in the past, she had lost importance their real purpose here. "Of course. Lead the way." She heard herself say mechanically.

* * *

The cellar of the Naberrie house was a fairly large, a tight fit for ten people and dimly lit it was the smallest and lowest room of the house, used for storage purposes and contraband items the Empire shouldn't get ahold of. It smelled of dust and shaak leather, had sparse bits of well-worn furniture and held hundreds upon hundereds of holobooks, illuminating the room in a soft blue glow. The decor was plain and clean, russet and brown were the most prominent colors with intones of black and cream.

Luke descended the creaky stairs, wondering what Leia had been up to just now. For a moment there at the table, he had felt a tremor in the Force. A very large tremor, at that. When Sola had begun to describe her sister...something just felt out of place. Actually, he knew the whole house itself was out of place in a way, not just in its awkward look, but also as if the atmosphere was more clouded.

All the things Luke was picking up were putting him on the alert, especially towards Sabé. She seemed perfectly gracious and benign on the outside, but Luke knew it was all some facade. At the moment, however, he didn't have any proof of that, so it wouldn't do to just arrive and begin making accusations about your hostess and her legitamacy.

_Come one Luke, don't get paranoid..._He tried to console himself, but even as he sat on the shaak leather armchair, Luke couldn't seem to shake off the ominous feeling he was receiving from the house and its inhabitants.

* * *

AN: Well, things are going to get more exciting, just not in this chapter.


	9. Discreet Conversations

"Come on, Luke. I-er- wanted to..._show _you some of the things in my room." Leia bluffed, trying to get her point across without making herself seem suspicious. For all his Jedi powers, Luke didn't really understand what she meant and he looked a little confused. Still, his farmboy curiosity and Jedi twin senses did pick up a few of her straggling brain waves. And so he followed her up the stairs in silence, wondering what she possibly could have to confide in him so privately.

Leia shut the door firmly and turned the lock for good measure. She heard the satisfying _click, _before sitting down on her bed solemnly. Her brother simply stared at her, when finally -

"Leia, what's troubling you? I know something's wrong. You can tell me."

Jittery, and for once at a loss for words, she abruptly left her seat to the opposite side of the room, and gazed at the holo that hung there. Luke too, gazed at it when a lash of white-hot pain seared through his body and he gasped out in shock. Leia was there in an instant.

"Luke! Luke, what is it? Are you okay?"

He experienced foggy double vision, and was in a world of his own. The world swayed in dangerous balance before him; he felt heavy in weight, but his mind was fleeting. Images flashed in his mind's eye, and he saw clearly: a Podrace, a huge gathering, and for one single and illusive moment, Luke saw the brunette woman -his mother?- pleading and crying, fire surrounding her. Then, as soon as it came it went, the pain subsided and the visions were lost.

Luke blinked a little to find himself crouched on the floor in a fetal position. "L-Leia?" he stammered.

"Luke? What just happened? Are you alright?"

He pushed himself off the floor and took a step to look for closely at the holo. One word registered in his mind - _Father._ It was almost like looking in a trick mirror; the same cerulean eyes met, the sandy blond hair was identical, and the silly grin that plastered over the Jedi's face was similar to Luke's old smile. Luke knew, or rather _felt, _that this man was his father, Anakin Skywalker. Now he could finally relate the name to more than a haughty black mask and chalky bald head.

Luke turned to his sister, who stood just beside him, wide-eyed and anxious. "You know who this is, don't you, Leia?"

"Yes, yes...I _think _it's mother. What do you think?"

He hadn't paid attention to the woman in the holo, but now that he saw her, her face seemed to strike a nerve, but it only went so far. _Unbelievable. We've found our parents. Here..._

"Mother...why do they have her here?"

His sister was a little frustrated, but was patient with his slow processing. "Luke, do you remember when I was talking at the table? This is Padmé. She was our mother. Our _real_ mother!"

Luke let the information sink in, and gazed at the woman in the holo. _Now it makes sense, _he thought, _that's why this place is so...strange. It's funny, really. Until a few days ago, I had no family at all, and now I'm surrounded by them. Or at least, some of them. _The last thought put him in a more somber mood, but was taken out of his reverie when Leia cleared her throat.

"So, what do you think? Oh, and I found this. It was behind the holo." She removed a crusty sheet of folded flimsy from her arm's sling. He took it, that same farmboy curiousity and mingled Jedi instinct overwhelming him. Luke read it. And then he read it again. And then, just to confirm the information, he read it again. By the time he finished, his eyes were glazed over as if seeing something far away.

Hundreds of questions erupted at once. There were numerous pieces of the puzzle missing, yet every person who may have been able to give insight to answers was gone. Luke grieved at this conclusion. All the people of the past were dead, with no answers and he was once again left to find out for himself.

Leia was pensive and curious. She too wanted to discover her mother's origins, but would prefer to avoid her paternal side. The twisted web of information was mysterious and alluring, with both the pleasant and morbid. They were prepared to leave it at that, but knew that it was better to confide in each other as well.

"Leia, I want to know...what you're thinking."

His sister bit her lip. She knew her brother would want to investigate Anakin Skywalker, and she wanted no part in that. No, she would investigate her mother on her own. So, Leia lied craftily.

"I'm thinking that we might not know what we're getting ourselves into. I really think...we shouldn't bother with it. I'm not interested, and don't care to know. I'm more concerned with what is happening here and now. While we're on the subject of the present, what do you think?"

"I think that there's something more than this," he shook the flimsy at the holo of his supposed parents, "that's going on here. Don't you find Sabé Corrin the slightest bit suspicious? There's something. . . misplaced."

"Is that why you glared at her? Well, I don't know Luke. You're the one with the extraordinary power of the Force. I'm just the resident politician. We'll stay on the alert though. Once we get the ship fixed and the planetary problems are over with, we'll do a background check and interrogation on her, okay?"

The Jedi's instincts were still unsettled, but he digressed. "Alright. But remember Leia, you have that power too. Use it, I know you can. I'm going to be meditating in my room now, if it's okay. Just. . . tell me if you've got any other qualms. Okay?"

"Don't worry. I think if our plans fall into place, things will go fine. I'm going to go work on this analysis of the area while you go get your peace and quiet."

As Leia heard the satisfaction of the door close, she sighed and went back to rummage in the closet; she would get to paperwork as soon as the closet was done.

* * *

Luke retreated to the tranquility of his own quarters, where he could meditate silently without interruption. Well, without a lot of interruption.

He adjusted himself cross-legged on the floor, and let his worries fade. The Jedi was what he should be - calm, at peace. But not for long, as he heard a voice float in, similar to the blurry Tattoine landscape.

"Why hello there." Obi-Wan's Force ghost sat on the edge of Luke's bed, glowing a transparent blue.

"Ben. How--" Luke cut himself off, thinking it absurd to ask a dead person how they were doing. Instead, "Well, I mean, I'm glad to see you."

"And I am glad to see you. I'm fine, as well."

The dam in Luke's brain burst and a thousand questions jumbled 'round in his head. "Did you know my mother as you did my father?"

Obi-Wan looked a little apprehensive, but answered quietly. "Yes. I knew her. She, as you must know by now, is sister to Sola Naberrie."

Luke, just like his sister, needed more than that. "What else can you tell me?"

"She was not Force-sensitive, but could have been, by the way her children were. She was much like your sister, a leading advocate of peace and justice in the galaxy. She was admirable in many respects and disliked warfare. Even moreso, when your father was sent to be a commander in the Clone Wars.

During that time, she became pregnant with twins. I do not know when. Your father. . . well, after giving birth to you she no longer had the strength to raise you, which is why both you and your sister had to be separated for fear of the Empire, and lack of parents."

Luke considered all his old Master said. Some things weren't computing right, though. "Master, what do you mean by, 'didn't have the strength to raise us'? What happened? Sola truthfully told us that she was dead. But I know that there is more to it than that. There was a funeral twenty years ago, but I'm wondering if they had a body."

The man across from him sighed. "Luke, even I am not strong enough in the Force to be able to answer _all _of your questions. There are also some things you must learn on your own. I cannot tell you what lies ahead, only that you will find answers soon. May the Force be with you, my friend."

"But, Ben!" It was too late. Obi-Wan's image turned and faded, leaving Luke to once again find the answers for himself.

_But maybe it's better this way, _he thought to himself, _I'll know things from my _own _point of view._


	10. Morning Tides

In the farthest and most foreign corner of the galaxy, the _Chimaera _hovered silently in space. Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo, better known by the core name of Thrawn, sat upright and stiff, red eyes giving off a chilling glare that Lieutenant Piersol did not quite enjoy. As a matter of fact, they had been in the same position for a near ten minutes. With great bravery -or stupidity- he spoke jerkily in a _very _small voice.

"Ad-dmiral...s-sir...y--y-your...o-orders?"

"Yes. Lieutenant Piersol, bring me all available data from the Core Worlds, and any worlds the Rebels have positioned themselves on. Immediately."

"Y-yessir!" Piersol yelped and literally bolted from the room, just in time to get to the refresher of the vast Star Destroyer.

Once the Lieutenant departed, the Grand Admiral muttered darkly under his breath, "They will certainly pay. And as the head of this new Empire, I will charge them personally."

In the numerous Imperial sectors, high-ranking officials scrambled to find order in the chaos of the Emperor's death. The eleven other Grand Admirals spread across the galaxy had similar reactions when news reached them, but none was more intent or more capable of success than Thrawn.

* * *

Sola Naberrie was a tolerant woman, but _this _was going too far. The man called Solo had self-volunteered himself to move his furniture and repair the already-fine working sink in his 'fresher. She was alarmed to hear water running in the early hours of morning, and wondered what in the moons of Iego it could be. Overtly as possible, she crept out of her bed to investigate.

Sola found the source of the noise in the room of Han Solo, and still half asleep, she rapped her knuckles gently on the door. It slid open after several tries.

"Whaddaya want?" He recognized her and apologized for his blunt manner. "Oh, sorry. But, what is it?" He was groggy as well, it seemed.

"I heard water running. It's coming from your refresher, couldn't you hear it? I thought you were...taking a bath maybe. Nothing could be so loud."

"What're you talkin' about? I've been sleeping, and I don't know about you, but I'd like to be going back to bed. I haven't been running water anyway. So--" Han stopped at what was to be another sentence, when liquid began to seep from under the door of the 'fresher.

"Stang! It's leaked...musta been the wrong pipe I guess..." he mumbled to himself, and fumbled around the messy area for some shoes.

"What?! The sink was already in fine condition, there was no need to meddle with it! What did you do?"

"_I _didn't do anything sister, it's your sink that's gone off the handle, not me! I just fixed the pipes when it got clogged up!"

"Clogged up! How could it do that? I made sure they were in working order yesterday!"

Han opened his mouth to make a likely sarcastic rebuttal, but shut it because he thought better of it. Instead, he opened the door, which consequently drenched his shoes.

"Stang! I knew the red one and the green one weren't supposed to go together..."

"Solo, what have you done? The red is the one to the toilet and the green goes to the shower, you moron! They were perfectly fine before you fiddled with them!"

The sound of rushing water was too loud for him to hear, so she sat on one of the chairs, thinking of all the stupid--

"MINIONS OF XENDOR! THERE'S A COLONY OF WOMP RATS IN THE 'FRESHER!"

Slightly revolted, Sola rushed to her bedroom to change and grab a thick durasheet box to help the failed plumber.

"Move out of the way, amateur! Watch and learn from a professional!" She shoved him out of the way, and got to work with the compact tool kit in the refresher cabinet. While she unhooked and sealed tubes diligently, she ordered Han about, making him place the baby womp rats into the box.

Her work was finished swiftly, as well as the cleaning. The floor was mopped good as new, and all the appliances were restored to working order, to the dissatisfaction of a certain pilot. But in the end, his outburst woke all from their beds, except for Chewie, who was guffawing in the corner.

"Han? What are you doing?" A sandy blond head peered from the edge of the door.

Sola was quick to answer. "Well, flyboy here wanted to repair the bathroom and I had to give a tutorial." She turned to face Han, who was a few inches taller than she, and said, "For the record - don't get in over your head and try being plumber again."

"Way to go Han!" Leia laughed sardonically. "You have your other moments, very often, but you certainly do have them!" She mused over it all the way back to the east side of the house.

Han thought it best to return to the soft, comfy bed he had previously been resting upon. The others had gotten up to start the day, even though it was still dark out, but Han would sleep until he was needed. Besides, those cots on Endor _were not _comfortable in the least.

Once again, Han situated himself under the covers and pressed his head to the pillow. Sleep just began to overcome him, and then--

The sun rose, shards of light encompassed his west room and Han was obliged to get out of bed. Instead, he rolled to his side with the pillow to shield his head. His blaster lay within small proximity to his face, unfortunately reflecting the sun shine directly into his eyes. After several moments, Han groaned in displeasure and resignation, and ripped off the covers.

* * *

They were once again settled at the table in the kitchen, minus the Gungans, eating grain cereal and muja fruit. The others continued to jest about the plumbing debacle while Han, still nursing a wounded ego, shoveled mushed fruit into his mouth in a disgruntled silence. Several times, however, the thought of the _Falcon _ran across his mind. He was guilty that he hadn't given the old girl a moment's thought since they had picked up the parts, which were still in the cellar of the Naberrie house.

But, as it turned out, the chance to see his dear old YT-1300 would come soon. Sabé had planned for them to canvass the city, an idea which Luke heavily supported; if anything sketchy was going on here, they would be able to know which areas were safest. The young Jedi Knight still did not trust the woman, and suspected that there was something of vital importance that was yet to be revealed.

His danger sense tingled, a foreshadowing of events, perhaps? Still, Luke continued to be curteous and on the alert, preparing himself for whatever would have been about to blow up in his face this time. They finished quickly, and left in an inconspicuous manner. Or at least, as inconspicuous as possible.

"So where are you taking us?" Leia queried, noting that they seemed to be heading for a particular destination.

"Err..." Sabé consciously clenched her teeth. "Well, it's something of a surprise."

_Surprise? _Luke didn't quite like the sound of that. Even though he knew it was wrong, he attempted to probe in on the woman's thoughts. He was surprised, however, when he attempted accessing them. It seemed like she had shields up, yet he knew that she wasn't Force-sensitive, or he would have felt it. Frustrated, Luke said a little too accusing, "What does _that _mean?"

"You'll see, Commander Skywalker, soon enough." Was her curt reply before she darted off into a grimy alleyway.

"What are you up to, kid? Every body's been actin' all high-strung lately, what's up?" Han murmured to Luke after the other's were out of earshot.

Luke pursed his lips. "I don't know, Han. I've just got a bad feeling about this..."

"Great," Han continued sarcastically, "every time you two get a bad feeling about things, I get a bad feeling. You know why? Because your bad feelings usually turn into predictions of doom." He paused. "What am I talking about? C'mon Luke, don't get jittery. What's the worst that can happen?"

After that, Han strolled off optimistically towards Leia, and engaged in further conversation, leaving Luke to mutter darkly. "I don't wanna think about. But I can bet my left hand that there's a Hutt in Jawa's clothing around here."

Sabé came to a halt at the end of the alley, crouching down to examine a large crack in the ground which she ran a delicate finger over. They were all somewhat puzzled as she muttered inaudibly, continuing to run her hand of over the three meter line. From her sleeve she extracted a pocket vibroblade and used the edge to carve into the crack, or so they thought.

Soon, Sabé had lifted the crack to reveal a trapdoor of transparisteel. Below it was a large hole, too dark to see into, but before any of them could properly ascertain what lay beyond, Sabé leaped into it. Though they could not see her, the echo of her voice assured them safe passage through - well whatever it was.

"Come people, you don't want to run into the stormtrooper's early morning patrol. Follow me!"

With skeptical brows, they too threw themselves into the dark pit. Luke was the last to go, and found himself in a dank, damp tunnel. The figures of his friends were barely legible, with the faint light from the top of the hole; it was pitch black after someone went to close the trap door.

Luke immediately ignited his lightsaber. "Whoa! Hey kid, watch where you're pointing that thing!"

"Oh, sorry Han, couldn't see you."

"Yeah, well just be careful. I held that thing once, and it can slice a Tauntaun like flimsiplast. I don't wanna imagine what it'd do to my head."

"Come now, I brought a glow rod. It is rather dark in here. I should mention it to Jaren." She activated the glow rod, and it illuminated the room in yellow. "All right, we'll soon be able to see, just a little farther down I think."

"What is this place? Who's Jaren?" Leia said as she saw several stalactites that erupted from the ceiling.

"Oh, this? It's something of a Nubian Refugee Facility. I used to volunteer here. It is a strictly contraband organization, and Jaren is the administrator. There are a lot of stranded aliens here, mostly a lot of victims of the Empire. They're just poor souls that need food and shelter, and that's why the entrances are so interesting. There's a tight wrap on everyone that comes and goes, because we obviously don't want the word being spread to less...innocent ears."

"I see. You volunteered before joining the Rebellion, I take it?"

"Yes." The answer was oddly grim.

"Why did you leave?" Leia pressed.

"Because...I was needed for a greater good, I suppose. My abilities were needed elsewhere, and if I could put a hand into destroying the Empire, there would be no need for the secrecy of this place anymore."

"I see." Leia repeated, picking up on the other woman's tone.

The air was quiet, aside from the clattering of footsteps and water droplets that slipped from the stalactite. After about twenty minutes a dim light manifested itself in the midst of the dark at the opposite side of the tunnel. As they neared, it grew brighter and sentient noises could be heard.

Once they were in a bright enough area, Sabé turned to the others with a small smile and said, "Welcome to the Nubian Refugee Organization."

Two Rodian youngsters ran past, shouting gleefully while being chased by a female Rodian who was presumably their mother. "Peedunkeys!" she yelled at them sharply.

A young man followed the Rodian, before stopping to notice Sabé and the others. "Corrin, what are you doing here?"


	11. Unrequited

Leia's eyes scanned the man carefully, measuring in every detail. The man seemed to scream 'uptight'. His stiff navy jacket was starched to look unbendable, buttoned up to his neck. His boots were meticulously over-shined, and she swore that she could have seen her own reflection if she had just inched forward a little. A mane of straight auburn hair extended to the small of the man's back and was tied back so as not to get in his way. He was fairly thin, tall and sickly looking due to the lack of natural sunlight and hollow cheeks that were an indicator of stress. Leia though he looked much like a young, long-haired, Wilhuff Tarkin.

At this, she snorted, thinking to herself: _Well, maybe not half so menacing. _She squinted for a moment, and then decided, _If he softened some, he could be handsome._

"Why hello, Jaren," replied Sabé, "I wanted to introduce you to someone very special - Leia Organa. Leia, this is Jaren Siol, my long time friend and administrator of this whole little Center. I've promised to introduce you - he is also from Alderaan, and has admired your leadership for a long time."

The man Siol dipped his head in recognition, and she did the same. Then she held out her hand to shake, but he took it to lightly touch his lips to. The smallest hint of color gathered on her cheeks as she tried to cover up the fumble, but the man seemed not to notice.

"I'm honored to have your acquaintance, Princess."

Now this was getting really embarasssing. On top of that, Han glared blaster bolts and the man and Luke stayed silent, simply fading into the background. This was turning out to be an interesting visit, and Leia was happy to find another Alderaanian who shared her feelings over the destruction of her home. It was like an opportunity to focus on something closer to her heart than just all the fighting, planning, and the sneaking suspicions.

"With all respect, Mr. Siol, I'm glad to have met you. By the way, this is Han Solo, Captain of the_ Millenium Falcon._ And his co-pilot, Chewbacca. Oh, yes, and Commander Luke Skywalker."

Slowly, he replied, "Please, call me Jaren. I get enough of "Mr. Siol" all day. And I am happy to meet all of you. Of course, you are friends of the Princess!" A small beep came from nowhere when Jaren dug out a small wrist chrono from his pocket.

"Really - it's already time for the morning rounds. But of course, if you would like to stay and have a look around I'm sure I should like to talk and get to know each other better. Excuse me, but I must really help the others. Good day, Princess, Corrin." With that, the made one last bow and set off in the opposite direction.

Once he was gone, Han muttered, "Good riddance." Which was consecutively followed by, "What was that, Solo?"

"Me? I didn't say a thing, sister. Not a thing." The Corellian put on his best innocent expression and whistled low. Luke could swear that under a layer of fur, Chewie was smiling.

"Well then I must be going deaf, Captain. Because I clearly heard, 'Good riddance'. Now what's got your wires in a knot?"

"Yeah, Han, " Leia piped in, "don't tell me you're..._jealous_." The particular emphasis she imposed seemed to prove its purpose, and the subject was changed abruptly.

"So, now that we've got these parts with us, when are we gonna get the _Falcon_? I don't wanna leave 'er alone too long with Goldenrod - it might start picking up the ability to yak off useless info. And who _knows _what might have happened since we left it out there. I mean, I know Abber Bonks said he'd watch it an' all, but if he's related to that other guy, who knows what coulda happened to 'er by now..."

"All right, all right, Captain. We'll leave now and maybe the Princess can speak to Jaren later. Your ship should be in the same condition as you left it, and the Gungan's name is Abso Bar Binks, for that matter. Well, there's on way in, and one way out. Let's get going."

* * *

Luke took a place in the backseat of the small craft and faded silently out of conversation. He had not said a word since they had been in the tunnels, and he was on the verge of using the Force to find out just what all this meant. The whole trip here had turned out to be a bundle of coincidences. First, discovering their aunts, cousins and basically all of their maternal heritage. Then, they find another Alderaanian who had escaped the planet's destruction. This nest of gundarks was getting more crowded by the minute.

It was hard to read into this situation - Ben had told him that he would need to learn things on his own. It was turning out to be easier said than done. Sabé Corrin became a more dangerous personage in his mind than anyone else at present, and he could sense that deep beneath the brown eyes she hid something. Something that could very well change everything.

Frustrating as it was, Luke would just have to deal with it for now, and continue to pursue his hunch. He sighed inwardly as the speeder slowed in the deep of the forest, and finally came to a halt. The satchelful of parts next to him jiggled precariously close to falling, until he used the Force to sway them back into position.

"Alright, Luke, gimme those parts, an' I'm gonna get right on fixin' her." Han unceremoniously caught the heavy bag and threw it over his shoulder to trudge forward fast-paced.

When they reached the spot of their landing from two days ago, the _Falcon _seemed to have been moved, and the trees which had been demolished now stood in a comical curve. Several Gungans with their kaadus milled around the area, brushing various bits of dirt and leaves off of the hull and attempting to right the position of the surrounding vegetation.

Han gaped in horror at his precious ship, looking decidedly forlorn in its dormant, temporarily inactive state. A string of inaudible curses were uttered under his breath, but before he could comment, Lana So Gallos appeared out of the crowd which had gathered at the site.

"Greetings, yousen pepples. We'sa been tryin' ta move yous ship, and trying ta see what'sa we can be doin', but da trees is'a goin' everyway!"

Leia replied dazedly, "Thank you very much, but I'm sure that if your people will just help us to remove the debris, we can take care of the rest." She looked awed at the sight of the _Millenium Falcon._ It looked more like a bucket of bolts than ever, meaning that there was definitely a lot of work to do.

After some moments of dreamy silence, Chewbacca barked impatiently. [I think that standing here will not do us any good. We must begin.]

"Yeah, yeah... of course. Chewie? I think I'll need a hydrospanner."

* * *

Six hours later, sweating and breathing heavily, Han retreated down the ramp to admire his nearly-completed work. The others had taken refuge atop their speeder, munching on several cookies Sola had packed them before they left.

"Well, I'll be Kesseled," panted Han, "That was hard. Gimme some room, will ya?"

The others laughed, and Sabé asked, "Captain Solo, I don't know how you manage it. You can fix a piece of junk like this and make her into a flying masterpiece, but you can't manage the same with a sink. Now how does that figure?"

The man in question was too tired to respond, and made due with a dissatisfactory expression and a mouthful of chocolate. All were contentedly silent, having worked on the battered ship for hours, but also having given up on the project five hours in. Han had been quite dedicated to the repair of his ship and only he, Chewie and Artoo had been left to put it back into top notch condition.

Now all there was left to do was secure the bottom gunner and clean the mess inside. The droids estimated that this should take another two or three hours, which was a relief to all.

At the moment however, Han was content just to sit back and rest for a while. Leia understood this, and used the break time to mingle more with the Gungans. Her mind soon changed when she saw Jar Jar Binks approach, smiling. No matter how sociable the Gungan was, he gave her information she had no desire to hear; more of the same.

She dreaded to hear more reminisces of the past, of her parents, of...her father. She wanted none of it, and refused to be subject to any of it. Once Leia, or any Skywalker for that matter, made their mind up, there was no changing it. Resolutely, she turned toward the trees and excused herself from any further conversation.

Only to be met by Abso Bar Binks. With him he carried a satchel containing mushrooms, and one of the long rods she had seen before at Otoh Gunga - a weapon of some sort. Immediately, he greeted her warmly, still proceeding to dig for fungus.

He hummed to himself while crouching among the dirt and rocks, using the rod to poke at prospective mushroom-growing areas. For a time, Leia kept silent and made rounds about the huge trees. That is, until she heard a scream and the thump of a dropping object. She rushed to the source of the sound, on the alert and already with her blaster.

But all that she found was Abso lying face-down on the ground straight into a pile of. . . _oh, dear._

She pursed her lips to hold back giggles as she helped him off the ground. It did smell bad indeed, and she wondered what sort of creature had produced the stuff; it was worse than Tauntaun farts!

He squinted and blinked several times before shaking his head rapidly and ridding himself of the fairly pungent excrement. "Yicky. Uh, Me'sa gettin' clumsy. Borger stinky issen da worse ting to be gettin' on yous."

Leia could not stifle the imminent laughter, and shamelessly burst out in a fit of giggles. Instead of getting angry, Abso grinned widely to laugh at himself.

When they regained their composure, they retrieved the box and its former contents from the ground, washed Binks' face, and were soon stalking among a dense crowd of ferns. After one thing and another, the two were talking of romance, a very odd subject indeed.

"Whatta 'bout yousen an' dat Hannie Solo boy? Yousen da liken him?"

Under the false belief her days of blushing were over, Leia hid her face as she felt it warm. "Um...maybe. What about you?" She replied quickly, veering the subject away from her direction.

To her surprise, her present companion also became quite embarrased before mumbling, "Well...yousa not gonna tell anyones, eh? Okay, well...I'sa always tinkin' Lana So Gallos moi moi..." He seemed to be fishing for the appropriate word, when Leia chimed in:

"Beautiful?"

He looked even more embarrased by her suggestion, but conceded defeat with a very small 'yes'.

"How long has this...thinking been going on?"

At this, Abso took a moment to think. Until, "Uh...maybe I'sa tinkin'...two tens o' years?"

"Two tens? Do you mean like twenty?" She was astonished, that someone could actually hold unrequited love for that long; she and Han had been together for four years, and hadn't even realized they liked each other until a year and a half or so!

The Gungan quirked what could have been his brow. "Yes. Issun dis a bad ting?"

Twenty years! "Well, excuse me for asking such a forward question, but do you have reason to believe that your feelings are reciprocated from any indication on her part?"

"Huh?" Binks scratched his ear in confusion.

Okay, maybe too many big words. "Has she ever said, or maybe done anything, to make you think she likes you too?"

"Oh. Uh...Me'sa not knowin' dis. Maybe has, maybe nottin. I don' know." He shrugged, not really adept at the art of courting.

Leia sighed inwardly. But just as she opened her mouth to comment, she heard Luke calling her name out loud.

"Leia? Leia!"

This time, Leia sighed for real. "I'm here! What is it?"

Her brother's black-clad figure bounded in her direction, and once he was close enough to be heard without shouting, he said, "Han's going to do a test-run, and I thought you'd maybe want to see. Plus, I think you've been assigned to the clean-up crew."

"I'll be there in a second, thanks. Abso, will you be finishing up? I think that's all the mushrooms you'll be getting today."

Trudging back to the forest, they did not collect more mushrooms, or encounter any more gifts from Borgle bats. As a matter of fact, nothing was encountered until a singular blaster bolt danced across the ground, alarming the three.

"Get down!" Luke ordered, with a _snap-hiss _of his lightsaber, several more bolts came out of nowhere.

All of a sudden, the thin red beams showered upon them in a hail of free fire, effectively blocked by the green blade. Abso was useless with his spear, and Leia could not discern any particular target with her own blaster, and soon gave up on trying to find one. The shots came from left, right and behind, so there was no telling who or what lay beyond in that thick shield of leaves.

Leia reasoned with herself that there must eventually come a rescue, because the bolts themselves made enough noise, nevermind the swing of the lightsaber. Pulling her blaster out once again, she fired aimlessly in all directions. This seemed to help some, but if they didn't get some help soon a stray beam could do a lot of damage, and her arm was still weak from the shot she had gotten on Endor, plus the strain it had taken just two days ago when dislocated.

The fierce roar of a machine erupted from the sky as one shot singed the edge of Abso's bag.


	12. From Here to There in an Instant

The _Millenium Falcon _now swerved in the direction of the offenders and fired on them with the bottom gunner which had evidently been repaired and secured tightly. The blaster shots thinned out considerably, enabling Leia could discern in which direction to shoot her blaster. But the fight wasn't over yet and they still weren't winning.

In the middle of the fight, Leia looked over to where Abso had been taking up cover for lack of an efficient weapon.

Abso was gone. But she had little time to think of it when she felt a large, very strong hand clamped securely upon her mouth and another arm do so around her torso. The blaster was forced out of her hand, and she could do nothing but flail her legs about. Luke, a little ways away, was still fending off the rest of the ambush, and didn't see her. Her unidentified kidnapper was dragging her away, under the cover of the dense greenery, and she was already out of the clearing when Luke finally assessed that she had disappeared.

Leia's distress signals where enough, and Luke realized too late what was happening. "Leia!"

He retreated from the shots and clambered onto the ground to make his way across the forest and get to his sister before it really was too late. Breaking into a full run, he began to pursue the stormtrooper that had Leia in his grasp. More rustlings were heard behind him as the the Gungans joined in on the fight to take over, and the _Falcon _still hovered over head.

Leia and her kidnapper were already far ahead of Luke. Before her brother could even make a head start, her asssailant revealed himself as a stormtrooper commander. Her worst fears were confirmed: The Empire had found them out.

The armor-clad figure gagged and bound her before throwing her into the storage compartment of his Imperial transport. Leia heard the sounds of the raging battle ebb away, indicating that they had already sped far ahead out of reach.

But one sound she did hear was a dazed moan and the putrid smell of. . .

"Oi, dat was bad! Waitin' a minutes! Where'sa dissa place?"

She managed to tear off the cloth across her mouth by gnawing at it with her teeth a bit. "Abso Bar? Is that you?"

"Princessy? Yes, dissen Abso Bar Binks. Does yousa know where'sa we'sa are?"

"Unfortunately, no. We were discovered by the Imperials, shavit. We need to find a way to get out of here, but I'm not even sure where _here _is. Oh, I hope Han and the others are alright..."

"Dis is moi moi trouble-o. I'sa supposin dis dat Binks Clumsy Daddy always talkin' about. My'sa head feelin' like it'sa been chewed by a gooberfish."

"What?"

"Abso? Are you there?" Leia really hated not being able to see, but soon came to the conclusion that the Gungan had fallen asleep. She felt strangely alone, and was left to simply swim in her thoughts.

_If only Han had seen us...I hope he's alright_... With that, she surrendered to the throbbing pain in her head and fell asleep as well.

* * *

"Leia!" Luke yelled hoarsely, knowing that it was completely, utterly fruitless to try and outrun them. His heart sunk as he watched the Imperial craft speed away, taking his sister with it.

The calm Jedi composure he had kept for so long threatened to break, but was soothed by a reminder. _Only in your mind, different..._

Luke reasoned with himself that things such as this had happened before. He set his thinking tank into motion to evaluate the current state of things. So, Leia had been kidnapped by Imperials, Imperials had fired on them, Imperials had found out about them and they had also been informed by way of Imperial Intelligence that they had arrived here. Kriffing Imperials.

Luke powered off his lightsaber, as he heard the sounds of blaster shots die away. The _Falcon _was heard securing its repulsorlifts to the ground, and he sensed Han approach him.

"What the _hell _happened out there, kid? Wait, where's Leia?"

Sabé similarly rushed out to interrogate him. "How in the galaxy did they find us? Someone must have alerted them to our presence! Where's the Princess?"

He closed his eyes before answering slowly, and civilly as possible, "She's been kidnapped. They're onto us." With dawning comprehension, and a painful memory from four years previously, Luke snapped, "We've got to get back to the house before they trace everything back to there!"

* * *

There had never been a longer ride in his memory. Luke exerted all of his patience to keep from shouting in frustration. Fours years, and he still remembered with the acutest pain. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru...he remembered their charred remains, the burnt dome of his former home, and all the wreckage the Empire had inflicted upon the farm he had so desired to leave.

When they finally reached a point in the city where they could have sight of the house, Luke glanced over anxiously.

Luke's suspicions were proved right again: The very top of the house wasn't visible through the haze and smoke. Sabé gasped at the scene, but kept driving until they reached the house. It was surrounded by several vehicles and stormtroopers were everywhere.

"No...no, this can't..." The former handmaiden looked like she could be knocked down with a duck feather. Her soft brown eyes were held wide, mesmerized by the fire that erupted from one shattered window, and her mouth was left open to gape at the horror before her. Han, on the other hand, was furious and let several curses escape him before he pounded an angry fist on the hull of the speeder.

Chewie held his head his huge hands, and shook it back and forth. Gazing at the glowing embers, Luke could sense something faint...

...they were still alive. They were still in the house. As he penetrated further, he deduced that they were in the cellar, and still had not been found. But if the house continued to be torn apart, they might be buried under all the ruin inside, and there was still a great possibility that the stormtroopers could find them.

It was impossible Skywalker luck that Luke had just discovered these people were his relatives, and now they were already being threatened by evil. For the second time that day, he sighed inwardly.

"They're still alive. In the cellar." His words were followed by silence, and they all continued to stare.

Tears threatened to spill over Sabé's eyes, but she swallowed the lump in her throat; crying would do no good. Sweeping away the wet that had gathered in her eyes, she snapped into action.

"We've got to get out of here. It's no use. We'll come back after...well, we need to move, or we'll be noticed." Duty first.

* * *

"Oh, Sola. What's going on up there?" Jobal asked her daughter as she heard the echoes of glass breaking.

Sola's brow furrowed and she replied unhappily, "I don't know Mama. I'm sorry. I'm-I'm so sorry..." Her throat choked up with sobs and tears poured freely down her face.

"It's alright, it's alright, honey, don't cry. Mama's here." Jobal held her daughter in her arms, stroking the brown hair and resting her own head upon her daughter's. As the sobs died down, Jobal thought about the times of old: when her daughters were children and were always in need of something; when her husband had needed her; when her grandchildren had given Sola trouble, and she had been needed.

It seemed that for most of her life, Jobal had been needed. For a very long time, she had been acting as a mother figure for everyone. For her younger siblings, her children, her friends, and her grandchildren.

Grandchildren. She had two, dear, sweet granddaughters, she knew, but in her heart of hearts, she also recognized that there was something missing. Maybe, if she had recognized that someone _had _needed her all those years ago, was the constant torment that haunted old Mrs. Naberrie.

Of course, she knew that it was always something every parent wondered: had they done well enough, done something wrong, helped enough? For many of those other parents, they could be contented with the fact that their children were alive and healthy. But for Jobal, she always wondered what she could have done to keep Padmé alive.

It was the unanswerable question. As her health had declined, Jobal asked it to herself even more. Throughout the whole ordeal of Padmé's death, she had kept strong, not even voicing her troubles to her husband. But now, her old age was beginning to catch up with her, and it was hard to just go about household tasks normally.

It also seemed as if she was no longer needed. The house was always kept clean, her daughter and granddaughters were grown, and their visitors were very secretive up to the point that sometimes she didn't even know who was brought into her own house.

So the question prodded her like an irksome insect. Jobal was sure that Padmé had been pregnant, just before she died. An autopsy was never performed, but a mother knows best.

"Mom? Do you ever miss Dad?" Jobal hadn't even realized that Sola had stopped crying.

"Of course I do. I miss your father more than anything. Why?"

Sola straightened and sat on the edge of the arm of the chair. "I don't know. I was just thinking about old times, when we all used to go on picnics and little trips to the Lake Country. Things were so simple back then. There was no Empire to plague us, or any war. It was comparatively peaceful."

Jobal smiled. "Ah, yes. You and your sister were so feisty. Sibling rivalry at its best."

They both laughed heartily, protected from the outside by the sound-proof walls. The chrono on the wall told them that it was late, and they began to wonder just how long the stormtroopers could stay. In any case, they were not about to find out the hard way.

A sudden thought occurred through the silence. "Sola?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Do you ever wonder about your sister?"

A pause. An eerie pause that held a thousand things. "Yes. Recently, quite often. Why do you ask?"

"Princess Leia reminds me of Padmé. So much..."

"Mom?"

"Yes?" The reply was almost a whisper as the sconce lights died down to a faint glow.

"Leia reminds me of Padmé too. You know, I put Leia in Padmé's old room."

"I hope she isn't that identical; she should never have to make the choices Padmé did between her duty and her heart."

"I know. She was so strong, always so. . . dedicated. I'm proud of my little sister, always will be, always have been. Even though sometimes she made bad decisions, I can't blame her. Padmé always had good intentions for everyone."

"Sola, I need to tell you something. Something I've never told anyone, because I was too afraid." Jobal crossed her legs atop a footstool and leaned her head backwards before continuing.

"I think your sister was pregnant before they. . . found her. She had the glow, you know, it was deadened and dormant, but you could still see it. You wouldn't have known by her stomach, but I could still see it. Sometimes, late at night, when I sleep, I wonder if those children were ever born. She hadn't died with them, so that leaves the possibility that -- do you think I'm just groping in the dark?"

Her daughter contemplated the things that had been dredged up before her, when she finally replied, "No, Ma. I think you're right. I could see it too. I just - I don't know. It's been, heavens, twenty...twenty-three years almost? One can never tell. Maybe Padmé did have the children, or maybe she miscarried, or maybe they were still born. It's all a game of maybe's and what if's."

"I know," Jobal said resignedly, "But as her mother I can't help but feel as if I have a granchild out there somewhere, you know? I love my family, and they're my life. You are all so precious I can't help but feel that there's one or maybe even _two _of us missing - It breaks my heart."

"Oh, Mom. When all this is over, we can hire someone to investigate it for us. Or maybe that Skywalker boy, he's a Jedi, you know."

"Even though it is a rather nice thought, I don't think I'm going to be around by the time _all _this is over. I've had a good life, and I've seen the rise and fall of an Empire in it. Don't you think that's good enough to reccomend me to whatever Force is out there? Or diety?" She smiled before closing her eyes in prepration for rest.

Despite the light-hearted tone of Jobal's words, Sola could read through her mother's mask enough to know that she was serious. "Mom, please, don't-don't talk about it. Not now. I still need you - the girls need you and Sabé treats you like her own mother. We all still need you."

Nothing. Sola waited, and waited, but nothing came. Impatiently, she called, "Mom?"

"Mom?" She shook her mother's hand gently. Again, "Mom? C'mon, Mama...Mom!" A small touch to her mother's wrist was a sufficient reply.

Sola quietly sobbed herself to sleep in mourning of her greatest role model, best friend, and mother.


	13. Coming to Terms

A/N: I had to do a quick edit as I was going over the story again. I noticed that when I had deleted the duplicate I had also deleted a part with Sabé that I had written as well as a conversation between Luke and Leia. So, here is the edited chapter. Sorry, folks!

* * *

They were back on the _Millenium Falcon, _laying in wait for the time to take action. Considering how stressed they all were, the lack of communication amongst them was understandable. Chewie was already catching up on sleep while Han mulled over the day's events while working on the last of the _Falcon_'s repairs. Luke was sitting in his cabin in total silence, trying to think of a way to get to Leia.

Finally, it dawned on him to use their connection as Force-sensitive twins. If it had worked once, why not this time? Concentrating on his sister, he closed his eyes.

_Leia._

He waited for a response, then focused harder.

_Leia, it's Luke. Do you hear me?_

Three seconds ticked on his wrist-chrono.

_Luke? Are we using the Force?_

_One of the many things that I'll need to teach you about. Where are you?_

_In another Imperial prison, where else? _

Even telepathically, she was sarcastic.

_Anything specific?_

_No. They're keeping me blindfolded and bound._

_But can you sense anything?_

_Definitely on a lower floor, judging from the sound. It's also bigger than the detention blocks in the Death Star. But there's something else._

_What is it?_

The connection was growing weaker, as if Leia was losing her focus on communicating with him.

_From some of the things that I've heard in the past couple of hours, it seems as if the higher-ups are fighting for the open leadership position. The Grand Admirals are about the highest they get, Luke. Don't bother with trying to get me out of here before you contact Mothma or Ackbar, or somebody, and get them to check it out._

_Leia, we'll be there as soon as we can to rescue you if we only have more details._

_There's no time! They're coming. Can't keep talking to you anymore--_

_Wait, Leia!_

Luke's eyes snapped open as the connection suddenly disappeared. He had at least been able to reach her. Swinging his legs over the side of the cot, Luke left his tiny cabin to go tell Han, Chewbacca, and Sabé the good news. They could now try forming a plan if they put their heads together. Rounding the corner of one of the halls, he almost ran into Sabé, who was coming out of the bathroom in her night clothes and dressing robe.

"Oh! Sorry." She swerved around him to avoid a full, head-on collision.

"No, sorry. It's my fault."

"It's all right. What are you doing anyway?"

Luke thought it was a forward question, considering that this _was_ Han's ship, and she was already a suspicious person. Thus, he retorted, "Is it a crime to walk around the ship?"

"It was just a simple question - there's no reason to get defensive."

Now, Luke thought, would be the perfect time to find out exactly what she was hiding. There was definitely something behind the unexpected appearance of the stormtroopers in the wood, being that the amount of people who had known of their presence on Naboo was limited. Someone must have turned them in by revealing their location, and Sabé was a likely suspect.

"I think that there may be. You know as well as I do that someone tipped the Imperials off about us. I highly doubt that it was one of the Gungans - they don't like humans in the first place, and I find no reason for them to bother with turning us in anyway. The Naberries are obviously ruled out because they were inside the house at the time it was being ransacked. Secondly, they've been housing Rebels and Rebel sympathizers for ages, so why turn them in now?"

"And you're implying that I am the snitch?" Sabé asked coldly, her eyes in dangerously narrow slits.

Luke stared her in the face. "I know you've got something to hide, Sabé. From the moment we met you, there's something about you that no one has been telling us. So what is it? Did you used to work for the Empire?"

"Why you son-of-a-Sith!" Before she knew it, Sabé had slapped Luke right across the face.

He barely even flinched before she turned on her heel and stormed back to her own quarters. That certainly hadn't gone the way he'd intended.

* * *

Leia snapped out of the Force bond with her brother as the sound of footsteps on polished stone reached her ears. In barely five seconds, the footsteps gained a clear, stout figure of a high-ranking Imperial officer. Or at least, she presumed it was a high-ranking Imperial officer. The blindfold was still in place, and judging from the echo of the person's footsteps, her holding cell was large enough to suit two people as a bedroom.

The officer was soon identified as male - deep-voiced and with a hacking cough. He ripped the blindfold from her head and then placed her against the wall. Now that she could see properly, Leia saw that things were about to get a lot worse.

It was another IT-O droid. Leia had imagined the worst, but she didn't fathom that they would use the same droid on her twice. The first time had been painful enough, even more so now that she knew...the truth. Oh, how she wanted to laugh at the irony of it all.

But seeing as the situation was not in the appropriate mood, she restrained herself and listened to the question the Imperial threw at her.

"What is your name, Rebel scum?"

At this, Leia found herself surprised. They didn't know who she was? Well, maybe this would be easier than she thought.

She hesitated, until the perfect thing jumped into her head. "My name is...Padmé Naberrie."

"Naberrie, eh? Well, let's see if you're telling the truth. Droid? Proceed." A feral smile crept across the stout man's face, as the hovering sphere neared.

By instinct, Leia began to edge away, but it was hard when all your limbs were somewhat bound together. The IT-O cornered her and she mentally braced herself for the illusions and the pain. The sharp needle arm injected a clear liquid into her left arm (and of course, the one that had previously been dislocated _and _shot at).

The reaction was a searing, piercing sensation that erupted in waves throughout her body, Immediately, the spot that had been punctured began to ache tremendously, as if someone had plunged a vibroblade through it.

"What's your name? I'm sure you know how this works..._Princess._"

Damn. Well, there went that plan. "Your Empire is over. I'll enjoy seeing it go down with me."

The officer kicked her against the wall, prompting tears and a scream. But instead, she swallowed the tears and gasped for air. It felt like he had broken one of her ribs. No, it was like he had shot one of her ribs.

"You rebel scum! Tell me - where are your accomplices?"

Leia inhaled deeply before looking into his face. Her stomach felt like it was on hyperdrive, and she was dizzy beyond comprehension. So it would be reasonable to say that what she saw shocked her. Slowly, she lifted her head to see her interrogator slowly morph completely black. A shined encasing of black metal covered the face, the face grew a horrifying, sunken appearance and the eyes were a blank black. The mouth slowly twisted into a hollow grid, much like the ghostly jaw of a skull.

Darth Vader.

She screamed like a madwoman, the rage enveloping every particle of her being. The binds restrained her from flying at the figure before her, but instead, something very interesting began to happen.

Leia howled miserably, "I'll _kill_ you! You're a disgusting _monster_! You destroyed everything!"

The black glove pointed at the droid, which accordingly began to eject several instruments. Before it could touch her, she shouted, "You're _not _my father! _Never_! You never _have _been, and you never _will _be!"

That's when the Princess without a kingdom lost her focus, and let her rage completely consume her. The events of recent days and the hallucinogenic drugs had taken their toll; the Empire's brilliant methods would again backfire. Leia flung herself bodily at her interrogator, and with her untamed powers in the Force, managed to break free of her binders and slam the wretched droid into the back wall. It crashed into pieces with several sparks and quivers.

The officer was infuriated, dazed, and possibly impressed, were it not for the particular circumstances. But he didn't have much time to be anything but in pain in the present situation.

Leia clenched her pale white hands around the throat of what she thought to be Darth Vader, viciously enjoying it. Her lungs ached with more wails, the tears released themselves into streams and the screaming turned to crying, which slowly decrescendo-ed into a quiet sobbing.

By this time, she had loosened her grip on the unfortunate officer's neck, delirious with her hallucinations and drugs. But despite his weakened state, the Imperial was cunning enough to reach for the blaster on his belt. Slowly, his hands made their way to his waist and he found the handle quickly. It proved not to be quick enough.

With one of the metal syringes from the pile of scraps that was the IT-O droid, she plunged the point into his abdomen twice as he fired in off directions. The shots ricocheted once and landed in smoke to the ground. Leia made one last stab, straight into his heart.

_If he even had a heart._ The cold black mask, devoid of sympathy or compassion, totally alien and unfeeling, could not possibly possess a heart. She did not think such cruelty could be so redeemed as Luke said he was. No, that man. . . that, that, _thing,_ could never be capable of love or compassion.


	14. Dark and Stormy Night

While staring listlessly from the viewport, Han heard murmurs. He figured it would probably be the kid or Sabé, nothing to be curious about. But that assumption began changed when the murmurs escalated into clear voices and the voices became shouts. It was all slightly muffled, but he could understand what the fight was about well enough. And he knew it was definitely a fight. After the yelling got to its peak, he heard a definite _smack, _as if someone had been slapped.

_That _wasn't a good sign. Even in all the fights he had gone through with Leia, no physical abuse had been involved. It was soon silent, at which point Han felt it was safe to investigate.

He entered the lounge to find Luke sitting at the game table with a very red, hand-shaped mark on his face. It was obvious that he was not the winner of the tête-à-tête.

"Whoa, kid. You must've said somethin' real bad. What in Hoth happened?"

The kid's face etched with concern, confusion, and maybe an undercurrent of anger. Trying to calm down, he replied, "Just a misunderstanding, Han. But I've got more interesting things to take care of - I know where Leia is, I--"

Luke cut off shortly before drawing a hand to the side of his head. His expression was pained and his breath held fast. Han was slightly alarmed, but resolved he would have to get used to this sort of thing. For several moments, Luke closed his eyes in deep concentration. When whatever had happened has finished, he looked tired.

"What are you talking about, Luke? Is this another on of those weird Force-things?"

"Yes," the other said quietly, the blue eyes troubled. "Leia's in pain. She's..."

"She's what?"

"My sister is just in pain. Terrible pain. I could hear the screaming. In my head. I mean, I felt the screaming. I don't know, I could just sense everything." He ran a hand through the sandy blond hair.

"Well, what else did'ja sense? What's goin' on out there, Luke? We've gotta find her!" Without knowing it, Han's voice rose steadily with each desperate word. He was falling to pieces. It was hard to just sit around and do nothing.

Putting calming hands on his old friend's shoulders, Luke reasoned, "Han, calm down. She's not in any physical pain. She's just going on an emotional Kessel Run. But you're right."

The Corellian held his head in his hands. "I am?"

"You are. We've got to make a plan and act on it as soon as possible, or this could blow up in all our faces."

"Ya got that right, kid. C'mon, we'll wake Chewie an' see if he's got anything." Han left to enter another of the rooms, until turning slightly. "Maybe you should go an' reconcile. Y'know...say "I'm sorry" real quick?"

Luke gave him a short glare. "Yes, Han. I do know how to do that." The Jedi grumbled several phrases to himself as he stalked off to her small quarters. At that point, he realized that he had forgotten to tell Han about Sola and Jobal. _Oh well. It can wait._

At the point where he came to her quarters, his fist rose easily and was only an infinitesimal distance from the door when he heard a few quiet sobs. It made his heart sink, and actually gave him faith to make a real apology. So maybe those emotions she felt had really been real. Otherwise, the woman might not have been beating herself up like this. And Luke knew she was most definitely beating herself up about it.

With humility and remorse, Luke rapped his knuckles on the door three times. The crying cut off sharply and there was some scuffling - most likely a chance to gain composure - before Sabé slammed the activator for the door and her face hardened with anger. He was almost intimidated. She was old enough to be his mother, after all.

"What do you want?"

"I came to apologize. If you're willing to trust my instincts, I'll be able to trust yours. I'm sorry that I offended you. I didn't mean to intrude on your private life."

She snorted with disbelief. "Right."

"If we could just get to know each other, I'm sure we could come to an understanding. I only want to find my sis--"

"Your what?" Sabé said sharply.

Luke sighed resignedly. "Leia. Leia's my sister."

"Your sister? Why didn't you tell us before? And...wait. If she's your sister, how come you came from different planets? She's a princess and you're a. . . you're. . . "

He finished her vague sentence for her. "An idiot farmboy from Tatooine?"

"No," she said defensively. Really, she had no idea what Luke Skywalker had been before he joined the Alliance. "But it still doesn't make sense. You come from different planets and have different names, so what's that all about? And I've heard rumors."

Luke's interest was perked. "Rumors? What rumors?"

Sabé was satisifed with herself. "Oh, nothing," she returned casually, "just some interesting. . . gossip from the Hoth Base."

Instantly, the Jedi's face flushed red as he recalled some of the foolish stuff he had done to impress Leia in their old base days. He regretted that he had even brought the subject up."Er, exactly what _have _you heard?"

"Oh, I'm not telling. You'll have to tell me the truth. So I don't get confused, you know." As a matter of fact, she really didn't have much of an idea what had gone on at Hoth Base. But there were circulated rumors that he and Organa were in some sort of relationship.

"Why am I the one giving up all my dignity here?" Luke joked, fearing that he might be pushing his luck too far. "What about you? Any brothers or sisters?" For now, he'd play it safe.

But maybe it wasn't as safe as he thought. Her smile faltered and the cheerful expression faltered. "I don't know. I lost. . . my memory and I ended up here."

_That must be why she's sensitive about her past. She doesn't even have one, _Luke thought. _I suppose I know what that's like..._

"I'm sorry. How did you happen upon this planet?"

Sabé seemed to hesitate, but reconsidered. Why not? If trust was a two-way path, then she would have to smooth down the road blocks. "It was a feeling. I had no memory of anything, but for some reason I was compelled to come here. Perhaps," she smiled, "you could say it was my destiny. It's my place. It has become my home."

She paused, eager to tell more, but not too much. "I came here without any name and stowed away aboard a smuggling ship. Then, Eirtaé found me. She told me I looked much like two friends of hers. Padmé Amidala and Sabé Corrin. But Amidala, as you know, was discovered dead and buried three years after the Empire.

"So I just assumed the identity of Sabé Corrin. Which, I suppose I am, aren't I? Sabé's parents are dead, long gone before the Rise of the Empire, and I'm told that she-_I _have no siblings or relatives whatsoever. All who knew her-_me, _that is, say that I just disappeared at the start of the Clone Wars, and never came back. Until now.

"Skywalker, am I ever going to find out what happened on Hoth Base?" This was getting uncomfortable; bringing back too many unpleasant memories.

For a second, Luke had lost focus, concentrating on Sabé's story. For the duration of it, his Force senses had been acting up. There was something so déja vu about it all. He tried to shake off the hunches, something Master Yoda would have most likely disapproved of. In the meantime, he would have to make a fair exchange.

"All right. Well, at the time, Leia and I didn't know we were brother and sister. So, naturally, I had a bit of a crush on her. It was only a sort of schoolboy fancy. Nothing serious at all. I think that whole time I knew she would end up with Han. It was especially obvious, this one time in the Hoth medical bay.

"I was out patrolling on a Tauntaun when I had gotten attacked by a Wampa. I made it out by severing the creature's arm, and then walking as far back as I could. Han rescued me and our signal was discovered the next morning. I wasn't in good condition, so they put me in a bacta tank. Once I was out, Leia, Han and Chewie came to greet me.

"As usual, Han and Leia somehow got into a fight, to where Leia called him a 'stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder' and then out of pure spite to get back at Han she kissed me. Of course, Han knows that now. I don't think he'll ever let us live it down."

But Sabé didn't particularly care if Han would or wouldn't let him live it down. Instead, she was clutching onto a spot above her heart and laughing inexplicably hard. "I-I can't believe...Captain Solo!" She continued to snicker while Luke's face grew redder and redder.

At the hearing of his name, Han suddenly walked in to find the woman positively breathless, she was laughing so hard. He quirked a confused eyebrow. "Luke, c'mon. What did you do now?"

"I didn't. I just told her that story. You know, the one from the medical bay on Echo base?"

Chewbacca, who had been behind Han, recalled the incident with much amusement, and began to woof with laughter himself.

"Oh." The pilot replied, fully understanding the behavior of the two. An outsider _would _find it particularly funny. Even Wedge thought it was great after he heard, and he didn't even _know _about the incest.

"We should get going. They might be puttin' her execution order on file while we're here yakking."

Sabé sobered and followed the other three out into the lounge room. The dormant droids were powered-out next to one of the seats and Skywalker turned on the Artoo unit. Now that she had time to look at it, it was quite familiar. It reminded her of Jar Jar Binks.

"Okay, so what'cha got? We gotta get Leia outta there, and you're the only one who's lived on this place long enough to know where they might have taken her. Any ideas?"

The small vision slowly faded, leaving an impression nonetheless as the Corellian addressed her. "Uh, right. Well, Jedi Skywalker, you said that you could sense her somewhere on this planet? Do you know whether she might be in the vicinity?"

"Yes, she's still on the planet. I don't know how far she is in terms of, say, distance, but I think she may be close. She couldn't see anything. But she was being held in a prison cell of some kind. Is there--"

"The Palace. She must be held in one of their dungeons. Newly built, stark, and sound-proof to keep other prisoners from hearing anything. Except maybe the screams." How she well she remembered those.

Han eyed her for a second, possibly contemplating all things possible that could be going on. How Luke had said there was screaming. He became more resolved than ever to get her out of the Empire's clutches. She may have been strong, but he didn't want her to be there any longer than was necessary.

"D'ya know how ta get in? My ship's runnin' fine - we could ambush the place an' get 'er out." So what if he was impractical? Drastic times called for drastic measures.

Sabé recognized this immediately. "Captain, no offense but, that's quite foolhardy of you. Don't you think people might be a little alarmed to see a piece of--I mean, a _robust _YT-1300 flying about and gunning down their Palace? No, I know the perfect thing. We'll go in disguised; that shouldn't be too hard."

"Let me guess," Luke said, "stormtroopers?"

"Clever, Skywalker, clever. Yes, we'll just use some of those uniforms out there. What's your size?"

Chewie barked in a disgruntled tone before anyone could answer.

"Whoops! Sorry about that, Chewbacca. We'll just have to -er- sneak you in with us." Sabé had totally forgotten that Wookiees would most likely not fit into a puny stormtrooper outfit.

Han snorted. "Yeah, I sure'd like to see that. How exactly are we gonna sneak Chewie in? Oh, not again." He whined slightly as Luke got a thoughtful look on his face.

"Why not?" The blond replied, "We've done it before. Plus, Chewie, you can grab Leia while we hold the rest of them off. But of course, it's completely up to you. What do you think? Those helmets _were _uncomfortable. And hard to see through."

The conversation went about in circles before they finally decided that the humans would disguise themselves as stormtroopers and create a distraction while Chewbacca broke into the cell. Using Artoo, Sabé entered codes to find the layout of the Palace. They worked until the horizon showed signs of a rising sun.

After the uniforms had been stripped from their previous owners in the forest clearing, Luke, Han, and Chewie went to bed in preparation for the rescue which would take place in a few hours. Sleep would be needed for this endeavor. Nevertheless, Sabé lay in her bed, trying to recall where she'd seen that droid of Skywalker's before. . .


	15. Espionage

Red, dark red blood. He was drowning in it, and her head and torso were spattered liberally. Dots of crimson decorated the walls in a grotesque pattern. She was nauseous, delusional, and in a considerable amount of disorientation. Her surroundings were misplaced and Leia simply stared at the smears of red on her shaking hands.

The sound of footsteps clanking on the polished floors snapped her out of her stupor. In her mind, the black monster of her fears lay dead on the floor; justice had been served. The effects of the drug were starting to wear off, the pain was subsiding slowly, and her vision was now adjusted to normality, despite the haziness of her head.

Leia wanted nothing more than to sleep, to fall into the security of unconsciousness and peaceful bliss. But the footsteps rang closer, and her sight gained clarity with each passing moment.

Terror flooded her when her brain connected to the reception from her optic lenses.

_What have I done?_

She glanced fervently back and forth, trying to recall the exact details of the murder. _Murder. _How the word settled on her tongue like hot bile. She gulped, the sensation spread to her stomach, and she suddenly felt the urge to vomit, the scene was so sickening. In a corner, she retched the snacks she had eaten the day before. She ached, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

She focused her concentration back to the present; there was no time to dwell.

Leia snatched the blaster from the dead man's hand and shot the door open with one last look at her victim. It was a horrible offense, but this was war. There had been millions of lives lost on the first and second Death Stars. It would be no use to turn into a guilty pacifist now.

Stormtroopers were coming toward her in the corridor, most likely to investigate why the interrogation process was taking so long. Along with that, they must have had security cameras and witnessed her rampage.

The white clad men, even in those thick helmets, spotted her easily and opened fire.

Leia ran down the hall, checking over her shoulder every few seconds to see whether they were too close. They were certainly gaining on her. Several shots fired past, one barely singing her loose braid. That was just the last straw. Facing them angrily, she run backwards and set the weapon to "stun", shooting freely and without discretion.

The last of them had fallen in a shower of blue, but reinforcements were on the way. She turned into an uninhabited corner to completely shake them off and assess her situation.

Right now, Leia was in an Imperial base, with no visible way out. They were looking for her but had temporarily lost her, and a friend was also being held in their prison. And…she had killed a man. The Princess had most definitely killed before; heck, she was one of the leaders of an organization whose purpose was to dismantle the totalitarian dictatorship. But never before had one of her killings been so graphic, so aggressive. Usually, they were faceless stormtroopers or bland officers with a blaster pointed in her direction. The actual blood on her hands made the man's death one that she regretted.

It made her scared. Scared whether she might do it again. Whether she might follow in footsteps. If she had committed such an atrocity once, was it possible there would be more? And then, eventually, she would become the very thing that she despised most.

_No, _she told herself, _I am not evil. I'm a good person. It was self-defense!_

The thought still bothered Leia as she knelt down in the empty corridor, trying to figure out a way to escape, when she heard the sweetest thing she could have hoped for.

A Wookiee battle cry.

* * *

"There, kid! Get that one!" Han shouted over the din. He and Luke were surrounded by stormtroopers and attacking droids. It was like the Death Star all over again. In the distance, they heard Chewbacca roaring with triumph. At least one of the captives had been found so far.

"Curse these helmets!" Luke ripped the offending object from his head and threw it with extra Force at a pair of oncoming destroyer droids. His lightsaber flashed back and forth in a whirlwind as they retreated down the marble corridors. They were on the detention level, a newly constructed wing that stored back up forces, weapons, and whatever else the Empire would do, like money laundering.

At present, Sabé was trying to deduce the prison codes with the help of Artoo, who was busily working his sensors to access the Palace computer terminals. The former handmaiden deftly shot at the stormtroopers with her blaster, which felt oddly similar, despite the fact that she had never had use for a blaster before. . .

Several beeps and hoots temporarily cooled the adrenaline from the fight, and she knelt to the floor with the translator datapad to understand the rushed whirs of the ecstatic astromech.

"Cell block 10138? Now this here is, um, 23011. Okay, we'll tell Chewbacca on the comm and head towards the back, then--"

The silver dome suddenly swiveled in excitement and the droid twittered happily. The rapid translation scrolled across the screen of her datapad.

"What? No, this can't be right..."

There, Artoo said he had not only found the two prisoners they were looking for, but also had found a confidential database. It was the very same one that a small group of Rebel spies had been planning to break into several days before, but there had been no word from them. The three spies were supposed to have found highly secretive records on Imperial backgrounds.

Sabé's thoughts were interrupted as Han yelled, "Did you find it _yet_?"

Recollecting herself, she fiddled with the comm and adjusted the frequency. "Chewbacca? Can you hear me? This is Sabé. I repeat, this is Sabé."

[I can hear you. Did the droid find it?] Chewie growled back softly.

"Yes, she's being held in cell block 10138, and Abso is in the next one on the left. Got it? I repeat, 1-0-1-3-8."

Anxiously, the Wookiee replied, [Yes. What about you? Are you going to retreat back?]

"No, we'll meet back at cell block SE7." When the pillar behind her emitted a sizzling sound, she knew it was time to stop talking. "Remember, cell block SE7!"

With that, she concluded the transmission and ducked out from the pillar to shoot at several more of the droids. The offending fire slowed and they took it as an opportunity to run. The Palace was like a maze as they twisted and turned, and only Sabé knew where they would be going.

Finally, they came to a dead end. Or at least, what appeared to be a dead end.

"What's this all about? When are we going to meet Chewie?"

The Nubian slowed, getting a chance to breathe properly. "There's a stairwell here. It leads to a passage with storage blocks built specially for Imperial workers. We're breaking into them to get a chance at some classified files. Our agents were trying to decipher this one, but we haven't heard from them, and couldn't afford to send in more people."

"But where's Leia?" Han advanced angrily.

"The Princess will be with Chewbacca and Abso when they arrive here to meet us. We'll take what we can and then make a run for it. So it's only a little detour from the original plan."

Solo opened his mouth for a sarcastic reply, but reconsidered and closed it, simply nodding in a reluctant agreement.

"Good. Now can we get going?"

Artoo used the codes and Sabé released the trap door to the stairwell. _It's certainly long, narrow and forboding. So typical for them, _she thought as the hatch was opened.

"Well, gentlemen. Ladies first; follow me."

With their glowsticks, they descended the steps fast-paced. Artoo used his booster rockets to stay level, and Luke was estimating how long the thing went on when the faintest echo of a Wookiee battle cry was heard.

* * *

"Chewie? Chewie!" Leia shouted, whipping out her blaster to defend the Wookiee from the oncoming flank of stormtroopers.

[Leia! Get the Gungan and run to the South Side! Han and Luke await us there - Go!] Chewbacca howled as his bowcaster pinpointed the white armor. Abso Bar was draped limply on his shoulder like a piece of meat.

Leia dragged the unconscious Gungan with her free arm, and helped to fend off the last of the Imperials before running down the corridor which pointed South. Chewbacca ran behind her backwards to look anymore backup that might come their way.

"Uh...Mommy? I'sa no goin' ta school today...Waiten'sa minute! Where is'a me'sa goin'? Ah!" Abso flailed his rubbery limbs as he took in the present surroundings.

"Don't worry, we'll be out of here soon. Can you walk on your own?"

"Yes. Uh, Princessy? Where in da word are we'sa goin'?!"

"We-we're going to the South side, where we'll meet the others. Hurry!"

The odd trio of a Wookiee, Gungan and woman continued to make sharp turns, hit dead-ends, and go in circles until they eventually found the staircase that led to cell block SE7. Leia peered down the narrow space, contemplating the length of the thing, when several faint, light blurs caught her eye. What was that?

She had no time to stop and think about it when Abso slipped and fell down the long staircase, taking her with him. Chewie growled in annoyance and charged after them carefully, so as not to fall himself. The stairs were actually longer than she had assumed, and she stopped rolling for a brief moment when they caught the landing. When she was about to sight in relief, the floor beneath her gave way and opened as a trap door.

The shaft was wide enough to fit both the Gungan and Princess, when they stopped falling and landed with a hard thud onto the ground. Leia lay face down on the cold cement floor, and turned to see Han Solo standing over her with a glowrod.

"Leia! Are you alright?"

Leia groaned in a negative manner. No, she was not alright. She had been abducted by Imperials, briefly tortured, and had just fallen down a narrow flight of stairs and a trap door shaft. The Corellian took the hint and helped her to her feet.

Squinting to adjust to the dark, she asked, "Where _are _we?"

"We are on the basement level of the Palace. It's being used to store all kinds of things valuable and highly confidential for the sake of the Empire. Two of our spies that had been stationed in the Palace, along with another helper, were supposed to break in and get a reading on the inventory down here, but we haven't heard from them in over a week. No reinforcements could be sent for lack of trustworthy agents."

That seemed to suffice for the time being. "Why is it so cold?" Leia's breath swirled in fog before her after she spoke. The passage felt like it was 20 degrees below average room temperature, and the Princess shivered.

"Being that we are in a storage facility of sorts, there is most likely an amount of inventory that is required to be immersed in cold temperatures. I warn you all, this may not be pretty." Sabé stopped at a door, the one labeled "SE7". Bracing herself for the worst, she typed a code into the keypad. It beeped twice before the door released a lock and retracted into the wall.

A pungent stench wafted through the door, putrid enough to make Han gag. It smelled like a dead Tauntaun's insides.

"What is it?" Han snapped.

With her hand covering her mouth, she whispered, "It-it's a dead body. But, uh, it's disgusting!"

Indeed, it was. Han shifted her aside before getting a look at it himself. The room was sparse in decoration, with only several boxes and drawers tousled about. Sparking wires hung from the walls - as if something had been ripped out. It appeared that someone had gotten here before them, and that whomever it may have been, had some trouble.

In the middle of the floor were two still figures. One was covered in maggots and other grotesquely squirming vermin. The skinnier frame lay crumpled, a large gash on the side of his head.

Slowly, Luke pushed through the crowd to the insect-free man. When he was barely a meter away, the previously unconscious man's arm twitched. Han yelled, "What the hell?"

The Jedi ignored the comment and turned the man gently to his side to get a good look at the face. The man's nose bled profusely, he had a black left eye and a ripped lip. The gash on the side of his head looked as if someone had kicked him especially hard, and a puffy yellow liquid secreted across the lines of the mark.

"Uh, can you hear me?"

The man stayed unresponsive for several seconds. When Luke thought to ask again, the body writhed violently, and the man's eyes squinted in pain. "T-trai-traitor...."

The others approached slowly to hear, when the man coughed harshly, spraying blood on his robes. Sabé rushed to his side, suddenly recognizing him.

"Commander Vorn, is that you? What happened? I thought--"

More hacking coughs followed, and she held him up straight. "Dis...covered...apprehended...unable...double... fail...mission...sorry..." The string of words was hardly audible, but Sabé's comprehension was coming into focus. She shook her superior firmly.

"Sir, sir...can you hear me? What happened to the third party?"

But it was too late, and he was no longer breathing. She let go, horrified and disgusted.

"Quick, we need to get out of here! They're coming!"


	16. Back Home

The approaching footsteps of stormtroopers drew nearer, prompting Luke to extract his lightsaber. The blue blade sliced neatly through the wall, carving a perfect simmering oval. He had to practically drag Sabé from the dead man's body.

"Come on! There's nothing you can do now, we need to get out of here!"

She hesitated another moment before sounds of blaster fire escaped. Luke ushered her out the make-shift doorway and then used the Force to push the cutout back into place. Expecting to find himself outside, Luke was surprised when his boot was soaked in viscous green slime. However, it wasn't the outside, it was a sewer.

"Great, just great. Why is it that we always have to end up in wet garbage?" Han jumped a foot into the air when a huge crawling insect made its way across his boot.

"You're covered in blood! Leia, are you okay?"

She tensed. "I am, but whoever my interrogator was isn't." Han smiled knowingly.

Ignoring this, Leia carefully ran her fingers across the walls, looking for some way to escape this new predicament. Not willing to waste time, Luke thrust the lightsaber through the wall, only to have more greenish slush pour out.

"Nice one, kid."

"Well, it was worth a try. Now we can eliminate both that wall and the one we just came out of as exits. I highly doubt that--" Luke stopped talking as he saw Sabé disappear through one end of the tunnel.

She poked her head around the corner, saying quietly, "Follow me."

Abso Bar slopped his flat feet on the slush, splashing it ever-so-slightly as he ran. With skepticism, Chewbacca, Han, and Leia followed with Luke at the rear. The tunnel seemed to become darker, even with the use of their three glowrods and his lightsaber. Most likely because it kept going straight. Eventually, they came to a fork in the "road". There was some dispute over left and right.

"I say let's go this way." Han began towards the left side.

Leia pulled him back. "But the right side looks like it's not so dark. Why not go that way?"

[Yes, Han. I'm sure that there's less time. It looks like there's going to be a light at the end.]

"Yeah, but what if it's the wrong end? I'd rather be goin' the long way instead of runnin' into a group of Imps, honestly. We've had enough of that today," the Corellian retorted.

[Ah, cub. When will you learn to listen to the Wookiee and the Woman?]

Luke's danger sense was tingling. It was telling him to go left instead of right. That would be the better way to avoid skirmish. "I agree with Han on this one. Something's not right about it."

"See? Luke agrees with me, don'tcha kid?"

Abso spoke up. "I'sa tinkin' we should be goin' da short way. Savin' lots time it is. If'n we'sa getting attacked, we'sa doin' pretty well, methinks."

"Bravery is good and all, but I think it's--"

Sabé cut Luke off, an unreadable expression etched across her features. She looked stressed, judging by the rigid way she stood. "We'll appeal to you, and go right. Even though I don't quite agree with putting ourselves in danger, it might be best." And so they ventured down the right tunnel.

Only to come to a dead end and a faintly glimmering glowrod that looked several days old.

"Ha!" exclaimed Han, "Your Worship was wrong! And your Wookiee sense was wrong. All that's here's a dyin' glowrod." He turned around to go back left with the others, leaving only Sabé and Luke behind. Something was a little off about such an abrupt dead end. Nonetheless, when Chewie roared to them about catching up, they obliged, pondering the significance of their day so far, especially that of the glowrod.

* * *

As it turned out, the left tunnel had exit. More importantly, it was an exit without any Imperial presence. The group was relieved and tired by the time they reached the 'light at the end of the tunnel.'

"Where are we going now, exactly? Back to the Naberrie house?" Leia asked.

Luke, Sabé and Han looked stricken. Chewbacca's expression was unreadable, for the most part. "Leia...the house was searched by stormtroopers and we saw smoke rising. The windows were being broken and Jobal, I think, is dead," replied Luke.

His sister looked away with a tight expression. She was trying to keep herself from shaking in rage. She had just found her grandmother and aunt; was it just a curse that everyone she loved would have to perish for her mistakes?

Luke knew exactly what she was thinking. "Leia, don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault! You can't believe that; it's because of you so many of us are still alive. Sola will still be there - I know it."

Gulping on the lump of grief in her throat, she replied evenly, "Let's go."

* * *

Upon returning to the deserted house, it appeared the neighborhood had become deserted along with it. Apparently, too many people were afraid to stay and had temporarily relocated.

The "search" of the stormtroopers had been thorough, to say the least. Windows had been smashed, furniture broken, cabinets were smoldering with blaster fire, and a general level of debris littered the floor. The contents of every box, dish, drawer, and encasement had been ransacked from their previous arrangement. The smoke they had witnessed earlier was the cause of drapes set on fire.

"They sure did a number on this place," said Han, observing the kitchen.

"Sola? Are you still here?"

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Luke confirmed, "Yes, she's still here. Take a look in the upstairs rooms. We'll keep down here."

Leia wandered up the stairs, faintly calling her aunt's name. Nothing. The upstairs bedrooms had remained comparably untouched. Of course, the bedding and decorations that filled the rooms had been carelessly thrown to the floor and inspected. Other than that, there seemed to be no evidence of any obvious damage. Still, no Sola was to be found.

Rushing down the stairs, Leia found the same crevice in the wall used to activate the entrance to the cellar, and the heavily concealed trapdoor released like an airtight compartment. "Sola? Sola!" She shouted into the slowly opening hole.

Miraculously, she heard back, "Princess Leia? Is that you?"

Clambering down the stairs carefully enough not to make a head-on fall again, she caught sight of the slender woman standing close to the opposite wall. The second thing the Princess caught sight of was the eerily still body of Jobal Naberrie, who was positioned laying on the couch with a blanket over her body.

Leia tried to think of something eloquent and understanding, but for all her speech training, the phrase that came out was: "I'm sorry."

Sola smiled weakly, seeming to find the comment sufficient. Out of mere grief - or was it a bit of happiness? - the older woman wrapped her arms around her niece. Leia easily reciprocated, and had the urge to tell this woman that she was her niece. However, in the present circumstances, that was too much information in too short a time.

Once they had physically detached themselves from one another, Sola said, "They came hours after you left. I don't know how this happened. And then...Mother..." she trailed off, her eyes wet. She gasped. "Are you alright? You're covered in--"

"Blood, I know. It's all right. Come away now - it's no use to stay here. Let Luke or Han carry her, and then we can honor her properly. Come and rest. You must have had a terrible night." Leia wrapped a consoling arm around her aunt's shoulder's while leading her back up the stairs.


	17. Initiative

**AN: I know I've been gone for a while, but I was busy with my ACT/SATs. But now I'm back and ready to write away and finish this story!**

Sabé collapsed onto the partially blanketed bed, feeling her muscles practically ooze into the crevices of the mattress. She sighed heavily, letting her breath go until her chest felt like it was going to cave in. All of the events that had occurred in just the past week were bizarre, puzzling, and most of all, exhausting to both body and mind.

First, Jobal had died. The funeral would be the day after tomorrow and Sabé felt like all of it was happening to soon and too fast. She had never known Jobal very well in the couple of years she had been stationed at the Naberrie estate, but for some reason, she felt like a large piece of her was missing from Jobal's passing.

Secondly, there were the intertwined issues of Princess Leia's kidnapping and the killing of the Commander. He had been a spy for the Rebellion to listen in on the Imperials at the palace. Clearly, someone had discovered him without finishing the "job" properly. The big snag was how easily the Imperials had found the Princess in the first place and then was able to dispatch over three dozen stormtroopers to kidnap her.

Third, how had the Imperials known to raid the Naberrie house? Was there a double agent or a traitor from somewhere on the inside of the Rebellion? All that had happened in the past couple of days pointed to that terrible conclusion.

Sabé, despite her apprehension to suggest the idea to her fellow freedom fighters, knew that her suspicions would have to be reported. If there was someone -or something- that could threaten the hold the Rebellion had on the Imperials, it would have to be dealt with immediately.

This whole picture was very, very, wrong, which led to the fourth and final issue on Sabé's mind. Ever since Skywalker and his friends had come, she was getting the oddest feeling of déja vu. As if they were somehow familiar.

She was also starting to remember - or at least she thought she was remembering - things from her past. Images of a cavern that lit with a fiery glow danced in front of her eyes...romping across a field happily...a picnic in a garden...holding a blaster in the heat of battle...two lovers in a tight embrace.

The visions flooded her mind, and she was certain they were of the life she had lived...before. Those lost pieces of the past she had previously been unable to recall, seemed to be coming back to her. Slowly, new things would emerge out of her subconscious.

Sabé wasn't sure as to what had provoked these vignettes of her supposed past. She was positive that it had something to do with Skywalker and his sister. She constantly got the feeling that she might have known them before too. Their features were familiar. The Princess even looked similar to Sabé herself.

Yet every time she tried to focus on that notion, her thoughts became lost and the feeling disappeared, as if a protective wall had erected itself to prevent the strange mystery from being solved.

Letting go of all her qualms, she fell asleep.

* * *

All of the living Naberries had arrived to attend Jobal's funeral. Sola, her husband Darred, her daughters Ryoo and Pooja, and her son-in-law Lev, and her cousin Alda were all present at the small cemetery along with the Princess, Chewbacca, Solo and Skywalker.

Jobal's casket hovered slowly down the stone path, followed silently by the small procession of mourners. Sola's two grandchildren, the five year-old Padmé and the toddler Ruwee had stayed home with Skywalker's droids.

Sabé glanced at Skywalker that moment, noting his grim, concentrated expression.

A sudden image flitted through her mind: a sandy haired, brown clad young man on a desert terrain, kneeling miserably before a humble slate gravestone, barely keeping himself from crying. _"I miss you...so much!" _he professed to the slab.

The image faded as Sola began a weepy eulogy. Slightly embarassed at her distracted episode, she saw Skywalker looking at her, somewhat puzzled. Had she been staring?

"...more than anything, though, Mama would have wanted all of us -family- to be together, and be happy," finished the short speech. Some smiled or wept in silent acknowledgement as Darred and Lev lowered the casket into the ground. Strangely enough, Sabé felt tears tug at her eyes and burn in her throat. An acute sense of loss seared in her very soul; it felt...similar, somehow.

She let the familiar misery wash over her, and three salty drops fell in a slow, soft manner. It wasn't exactly refreshing, but more enlightening in a way. Like some excess part of her had broken off, and something more comfortable had rightfully replaced it. Sabé was last in the line to approach the site, placing a white mountain lily, a symbol of tranquility, over the freshly dug soil.

* * *

"Intel confirmed it today." Jaren Siol reported the dreaded news: The Empire was recovering faster than Mothma and the others had expected, and the Moffs were already eliminating each other. Most systems had sustained relative calm. The only places with heavy uprisings were Naboo, Coruscant, and the alien planets. Most systems that had a majority of humans, or what was close enough to being human, hadn't reacted to the news that their Emperor and his henchman Vader were dead.

"People are dying - even faster, now that the Empire has become more ruthless! We _must _do something quickly!"

"I know, Princess Organa. But think of the present circumstances. Though we are of a great number, the Empire is still greater."

She grit her teeth in frustration. Being that the Rebellion hadn't secured enough support from the galaxy just yet, any sort of upfront infiltration of the Imperial hierarchy would be impossible. The supply of weapons and spacecraft had been considerably lessened from the onslaught on the Death Star, and even if they could rally more itinerary, taking over Coruscant would be hard business.

The Alderaanian princess stopped the flurry of her thoughts, calming herself to analyze the situation in a better light as Sabé began the conversation once again.

"Both Vader and the Emperor are gone. Hence, the Imperials will be competing for their positions and power, which gives us a temporary advantage. We will be able to rally more support from those governed systems and eventually eradicate the Moffs. It's only a rough layout of what needs to be done. I don't see why we should be getting too worried. Even if this process is one step ahead of us, we can always catch up. And don't forget the Imperial Senate. They have their own importance, to a point."

"Whaddaya mean? All of those Senators are snotty rich guys who get _paid _to support the Empire!"

Sabé rose her chin slightly. "Don't be so sure, Solo. Even still, we can use those "snotty rich guys" to our advantage as well. I'm a pacifist and value morals, but sometimes. . .a little crime doesn't hurt."

"You sound as if you've never been on off-planet operations. How far out into the field do they put you?" Luke queried.

"Blue Squadron is run completely on Naboo. I started a full-fledged movement 5 years ago and it has been running on me ever since. As the Palpatine's home planet, a lot of Imperial business gets conducted here and we send what we can discover to Mothma, Ackbar and such. It's small, but efficient."

Sabé continued, "Recruiting, artillery, and layout work begins tomorrow. I think we've all had quite a rough and adventurous week and could use some sleep. Off to bed with you all, and briefing will begin in the morning here at 0700 sharp."


	18. Hereditary Revelations

The commlink crackled as he strode down the lengthy duracrete corridor.

"Yes, Captain. I will have the formula ready and transmitted in 0200 hours." Finally, the frequency died out, and the mysterious figure shut off his comm unit. This new weapon would be greater than any Death Star - an organic menace to strike fear and submission back into the galaxy. It was a fool-proof plan that would gain him prestige and power, not to mention a high rank under Thrawn's new rule.

This would be the profit of his efforts, years of undercover scientific work. His whole being was impatient to see the obliteration of this pitiful planet. The only obstacle left was the Rebel Alliance. Thrawn would deal them a swift and crushing blow, one that would completely eliminate sympathy for them, and provide a pathway to their destruction.

* * *

It was times like these Leia found herself resenting her heredity. Being _that _much shorter had always given her grief. If the shelf had been just a _little _bit lower, she thought she really could get to it. Her fingers were barely scraping the edge, when another hand grabbed the box with ease and gave it to her. Leia felt her face warm from embarrassment.

"Thank you, Jaren."

"Of course, Leia." He smiled nicely. Nonetheless, it made her queasy, his smile did, and not so much in a nice way. Desite being a great help, he seemed to be almost over-eager. As of right now, she read this as a desire for importance or glory. While he was outwardly warm, his sallow skin and stiff manners were off-putting as to his real character. Nothing he did could rid her perception of him as rigid, hostile, and cold.

Disconcerting as his facial expressions were, Leia could only show her appreciation by smiling back. Taking the box of instruments with her to the living room, Jaren followed just a few paces behind. She rushed to Han's seat and set the box on the table laid out with holographic projections.

Lana So Gallos was speaking. "Wesa coulden be settin' some boomas."

The other Gungans, and Sabe, disagreed. 'Boomas' would be no match for the superior Imperial Security around Theed. Their distraction would have to be a mass effort, without including innocent civilians.

Sabe suggested, "Does anyone here remember the Battle of Naboo, approximately thirty-six years ago? There were three different assaults taking place: one on ground, led by Gungans; another at the Palace, to capture the leaders of the Blockade; and a last fight that took place just above the planet's atmosphere. Aren't we trying the same thing, essentially?"

Jar Jar Binks now replied: "I'sa wassen General back den. Yousself wassen in da Palace. But, uh, yousa no remember dat now, huh?"

"No. . . no, I'm afraid not."

"Ussen Gungans takin' da Grand Army, fightin' dem dummo droids, den Ani goin' and defeatin' dem bombad Control Ship. We'sa facin' dem off in biggo field."

"But would you be willing to do so again? I can't spare any of my squad - other than us, as well as the Princess, her companions, and Jaren, that's all we have. Seventeen, not including droids."

Jar Jar became excited, as if revisiting his youth through battle. "O'course we'sa can be distractin'! How much time yous gonna be needin'?" The other three Gungans nodded in agreement.

"According to Artoo," replied Leia, "we will require. . . sixty-point. . . I mean, an hour and ten to get in and secure the building. Chewbacca and the droids will then get to the control room to hack into the system and alter it. If you can hold about half of their forces long enough for us to take care of the rest, that is."

It was agreed upon that a few Gungans would assemble themselves a distance away from the Palace. An Imperial would get word of the Gungan existence, and send troops to exterminate them. However, the Grand Army would be waiting. There would be a small crew who would eventually send back-up.

Meanwhile, Sabe, her band of eleven, Jaren, Leia and the others (including the droids), would enter the Palace with specially procured security pass codes. As promised, Chewie would separate to find the control room on the main floor, taking Artoo and Threepio with him to disable it. Then, the other sixteen of them would split up into smaller groups to find the Governor and his underlings.

The people of the meeting dispersed as the Naberries returned from visiting Jobal's grave. Jaren took the opportunity to talk to Leia, making a very sour Han Solo. The Corellian retreated to his room with Chewie, to whom he absolutely insisted that he was "not jealous."

Realistically, Han did not trust the Alderaanian man. He seemed excessively courteous and gentlemanly on the exterior, but inwardly sneaky. To Han, he was the kind of guy that only cared about himself, screw everyone else.

At this point, he realized that was probably what everyone else had thought of him before he had truly dedicated himself to the Alliance. Minus courteous and gentlemanly. At the same time, Han confessed to his Wookiee friend that:

"I've got a bad feeling. . . about _him_."

* * *

Luke was busy talking to Jar Jar Binks in the kitchen in an attempt to procure more family information. He felt it was necessary to get a feel of what the Gungan already knew.

Jar Jar, happily remembering the time he crashed Boss Nass' heyblibber, stopped short when Sola Naberrie entered.

"Sola! You'sa should'a be chattin' wit you'sa nephew. Catchin' up!" It was apparent that he knew quite a lot.

Initially, Sola had no idea what he was talking about. "What do you mean, Jar Jar? I don't have a nephew."

The Gungan's eyes bulged. "You'sa no knowin'? Lukie is Padme's son! Lukie Skywalker, Ani Skywalker, huh?"

She was, for lack of a better word, shocked. After all this time, and her mother had been right!

"You-you mean. . . "Luke nodded silently.

_She looks queasy, she might even be ready to faint, _he thought.

He caught her just in time. Despite her usually strong constitution, all of it had been too overwhelming. Luke carried his aunt to the sofa. Immediately, his relatives flocked to see what was wrong with her.

"Why has she fainted? Is she sick?"

"No, just a bit stressed. With the funeral and. . . well, I'm your cousin." It was best to get the secret out to everybody now. Besides, he really didn't see any consequences that could happen by revealing it. They all sat down, speechless. Darred, technically Luke's other uncle, attempted to wake his wife. Sola began to stir, shaking her head in a daze.

"Oh, what's happened. Oh, right, my gods! Luke!"

The Jedi was surprised when pairs of arms began to encircle him, but hugged them too.

"Let's give him some room to breathe," said Pooja.

"Right, I'm sorry. It's just. . . My nephew. . . " She dabbed her eyes with her sleeve, sniffing.

"It's understandable. I'm just sorry I didn't tell you sooner. You might also like to know that Leia is my twin sister, and your niece."

Sola chuckled weakly. "I should have suspected, I suppose. And after all this time, Pooja, Ryoo, you have two of the most infamous twin cousins."

The thought occurred to her to ask what had happened to her sister's children all these years.

Luke hesitated. What exactly should he tell them?

"Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi separated us after, Padme, I suppose, died. Our father was also killed in the Purges, and, as you know, the Emperor made a point to eliminate all the Jedi he could. Ben decided that we weren't too safe together, so Leia went to Alderaan, and I was sent to Tatooine to live with Owen and Beru. Lars, that is."

For the most part, or at least, from a certain point of view, that was true. Sola was still a little confused.

"But why didn't he give you to us? We are your relatives by blood. Who were the Larses that Master Kenobi would send you there?"

"I really don't know. I always called them Aunt and Uncle, but Ben didn't really get the chance to tell me even that much before he died." _I wish I could get more answers right about now._

"Well I guess it doesn't matter anymore. All that matters now is that we're going to stick together, and when your sister gets back in, we'll have a great dinner and forget this war for just one evening. You make yourself at home, Luke."

* * *

Leia broke off from the chattering throng of people, walking onto the terrace.

"Hello, Princess." She wasn't alone. It was Sabe.

"Hello. Too loud for you?"

Sabe smiled. "Just a little. Especially when Jar Jar Binks is in the mix. He's a good friend, but also quite a talker. I am told that he has always been that way. Regardless, how long have you known?"

It took Leia a moment to infer what Sabe was talking about. "Oh. About the day we got here. There was a note tucked inside a holo on the wall of her room. My mother's room. In fact, I had thought, at first, that the holos were of you. You look exactly the same as she did."

Sabe wasn't surprised. People had mistaken her for the Queen time and again, only to remember that the Queen was already dead. Next, they recalled the famous decoy that took her place and she would be at a loss to tell them anything. Sabe was living in the shadow of them both, so to speak.

Leia was picking up the feeling that she had said the wrong thing. She apologized quickly.

"Don't be. It's not your fault I don't know who I am, is it?" Sabe laughed mirthlessly, even a little bitter. "I just wish I knew who was."

"I know what you mean. When my father had told me I was adopted, I had an identity crisis. But then when he described. . . _her _just a little, I came back to my senses. I think Luke must have felt like that his whole life though. Not knowing." The last two words made her throat tighten. If only she didn't have to know.

"You know the strangest thing though? I feel as if I already knew Luke. Or someone who looks like him. Maybe it was your father I knew. I believe that I saw a holo of Anakin Skywalker once. Yes, now that I think back to it, Anakin Skywalker looks extremely familiar."

Both women were tensing uncomfortably. Sabe continued, more to herself than anyone else.

"Wait. If I am supposed to be the Queen's decoy, and the Queen, eventually Senator, married Anakin, then I _must _have known him!" She remembered the recent images and scenes that her dreams depicted. "I remember now, a few things. Anakin had a mechanical hand, a blue lightsaber, and vertical scar on his forehead. He-he cared about her deeply, that. . . he loved her and wouldn't lose her. Even until the--the end. He refused to lose her."

Leia's face was turned in the shadow. It was hard to hear these things. False things. Darth Vader had no heart, and could not care. Sabe only thought she knew.

"How do you know for certain?" The Alderaanian's voice was shaking in cold rage. "What if he was a monster who took advantage of her? Or worse? What if he killed ruthlessly without remorse? What if, he had wanted to lose her and us? To be rid of such a useless burden!"

This broke Sabe's reverie. She stared at the Princess, crestfallen. "Princess, what's wrong? Have I said something?"

Leia's anger had already been set off. "Princess!" she scoffed. "No longer an appropriate title if there's no planet left to be Princess of! He _never_ created, only destroyed. He _hated_, not loved! Never loved, _never!" _

Close to tears, Leia ran to her room leaving a stunned Sabe on the chilly balcony. As she rushed through the crowd, bumping Gungans and humans alike in her wake, she didn't notice her brother standing silently in earshot. He had heard every word.

_How did Sabe know all that?_

Luke knew that he should probably talk to Leia after she had calmed down, though it wasn't likely to produce any results. But before he did so, he pondered the importance of Sabe's strange memories. He wondered whether the Force might help him in this instance.


	19. Scenes of a Reminiscent Nature

_"Things will soon be set right, my love."_ _Blond hair, shadowy blue eyes. . . darkness, fire, and fear._

_"Don't you see? We don't have to run away anymore! I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor - I-I can overthrow him! And together you and I can rule the galaxy! Make things the way we want them to be!" _

_Blond hair, yellow eyes, darkness, fire, fear. . . and heartbreak._

_**"LIAR!" **Blond hair, orange eyes, sadness, revelation. . . and acceptation._

_Hot, glistening, burning, traitorous, heart-ripping, tears flow down her cheeks, pale and ashen. It is fitting in the surroundings, because really, there is nothing else she has the power to do._

_Tears squeezed from her throat, in desperate, innocent, hopeless, helpless protests. How can fate be so cruel, and love so twisted?_

Sabe sat up straight in a bed at the Naberrie house, letting out a quiet, luckily unheard yelp. She found that she had been, and was, crying. Wiping away the moisture, she tried thinking back to the strange dream. Sabe remembered that face. She knew it, and knew its true form; in all of its forms. Every single one of them, Sabe could recall.

Yet as to how she knew the face of Anakin Skywalker, other than by default, she was at a loss. The Queen would not have involved her in such distressful moments as that, personal as they were.

She shuddered, remembering the freakish, grotesque changes of the man's irises. What could that mean? What had happened to make the Skywalker situation so tragic? It was then Sabe remembered Leia's comments, supposedly, about Anakin Skywalker, her father.

_He _hated, _not loved! Never loved, _never!

Shaken, she decided to consult Luke, who would probably take a more positive reaction to her "memories" than his sister. He might also be able to rectify her confusion.

* * *

_"You will not take her from me!" Furious rage, like a flame that spread, only consumed the shell of a man._

_"You have done that yourself! You have let this Dark Lord twist your mind and now, now you have become the very thing you _swore _to destroy." Like himself, the speaker was sad and grieving. He mourned with bitter regret of his mistakes, and a terrible weight on his shoulders that only seemed to increase. His voice was scarred with disappointment and unshed tears. Any lesser man might have foregone his duty, but he could not turn from this task, though it felt like he was killing himself. He will do what he must._

_Something is going on. He can feel the pain of the other two, as well as his own. It is crushing, but he, in his innocence, in his inheritance, believes there is still hope for something different than pain, suffering, and death. The first words that he hears upon entering the world encourage him, and he knows that Anakin Skywalker exists._

There were a few curt knocks on his door before Luke registered himself as awake. There was one more before he grumbled, "Come in."

He was glad that he wore pajamas. Han had always said a "real man" slept in his underwear, but personally, Luke enjoyed the feel of his soft blue nightshirt and trousers. He smiled inwardly as he acknowledged the fact he was already decent.

Nonetheless, Luke was still groggy enough to be a little surprised as Sabe swung open the door, a fluffy white robe on.

"Sorry to wake you, but I had. . . well, it seems a little silly, but--"

Luke attempted to stifle his yawn by covering his mouth with his hand. "It's alright. As long as there are no Imperials on the way, my head's caught up with the rest of me."

Sabe released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Continuing, she described her dream in detail.

"It was Anakin Skywalker, I'm sure. Your father."

Her coincidentally placed dream disturbed him and excited him not a little. It was only by way of the Force that these dreams -memories, maybe- were bestowed upon them. At the same time, he wondered why Sabe, barely acquainted with Anakin, would remember such things.

It was at that very point when she posed this thought.

"But why would I be able to recall things like that? They were so personal."

Both were pensive and without answers. Luke was tempted, very tempted, to try and enter her subconscious with the Force.

"Can--can you use your Jedi powers? To find out more?" Though she was excited to be gaining back at least something of her past, Sabe was beginning to dread these visions. They became deeper, more frequent, and more complicated. She felt familiarity, and at the same time, vulnerable.

And with all that was going on, Sabe did not wish to feel vulnerable. She was afraid to risk herself in that way. It may have been just another one of her prepossessed habits. If, by letting the Jedi enter her mind, she could rid herself of these mental haunts, Sabe was all the more inclined to request that he do so.

Her Jedi companion fidgeted. It was on the tip of his tongue to accept, but Luke remembered the surreal feeling of the mind tricks and Force-chokes he had used at Jabba's Palace just a month ago. Therein lay a path of manipulation of power that, even if used for good, Luke had felt was wrong. Furthermore, by invading her subconscious, would he not be doing it for his own personal gain? Gain of knowledge?

It was a few anticipatory moments before he quietly refused with excuses of his inability and the dangerous nature of such an exercise. Sabe looked crestfallen, and at the same time, doubtful of his complete honesty toward her.

Yet she said not a word except to apologize for waking him. Luke, feeling the slightest bit guilty, glanced at his wrist chrono. Flexing his senses, he was once again surprised to find another female in the house, awake. Leia was sitting alone in her room. Though he couldn't get any emotional readings from her, he suspected that she was still angered over last night. He decided it was time that they talk.

She opened the door before he could knock. She too had sensed his waking presence. Unbeknown to him, she had also sensed Sabe's, and was aware of the strange conversation that her brother had held with her. Leia let him in.

"What is it, Luke?" She said, crossing her arms as she stood by the window.

"You know what it is. I know exactly what's bothering you just as well as you do. And I know why, but you don't."

At that, she rounded on him. "_I _don't? I don't! Luke, he took away. . . everything. Everything I had and loved. He even took away Han!"

"But, please, try to at least under--"

With hard eyes and smarting sarcasm, his twin interrupted, "Understand? What is there to understand, other than that he wanted to turn you to the Dark Side, no matter whether you lived or not! Or better yet, that he destroyed Alderaan in a blunt act of sadism? There _is _nothing to understand, Luke! Not now, not ever. What's done is done, and one good deed to save your son's life is nothing to a debt of irreversible genocide and cold-blooded murderous _evil._"

Her words were, to him, like a sharp reprimand to a child with a foolish idea. He felt himself unable to answer - there was a lump in his throat as he felt her sorrow, blanketed with a layer of intense. . . hatred and anger.

This troubled Luke greatly. Despite his sister's undying compassion and good nature, he knew from personal experience that her negative emotions could only grow over time.

"Leia, I understand your feelings. I've known them as well. I had to hide. . . that knowledge. What do you think I had felt throughout the year we searched for Han? I had no one to confide in, so I went over and over those same things that you hold against him. But I remembered what Obi-Wan told me: 'Don't give in to hate.'

He was right. You might never forgive our father, but don't let your hate for him consume you," Luke pleaded.

Leia's mouth formed a line of displeasure, her face clouded over in thought.

"Just think about what I said, and let go of your negative emotions. They are, as Yoda says, a path to the Dark Side."

* * *

Sabe had been having the dream now every single night, each and every time she would awaken with tears. The point at which the dreams started and ended in sequence varied, but they still haunted her during the day. It had now been a week since she had talked to Skywalker in the early morning, and their assault would take place in just two more days. With the dreams, she became distracted and often lost wind of the conversation.

She had made her mind up that she should ask Skywalker about entering her mind again. Sabe couldn't take this day in and day out. If she zoned out of focus during the battle, lives would be at stake, possibly even lost. Sabe couldn't have that sort of guilt on her shoulders.

This morning was another, actually the final, training session. Three more strenuous hours of shooting, kicking, and punching. Probably another bloody nose for Jar Jar.

After the likely fifteen minutes of break they would have, the crowd would disperse into the different divisions they would be working in. There would be a conference between the individuals that were assigned on the Palace mission, and both she and Luke would obviously be there. Once that had ended, she hoped to catch him in time to ask her favor.

She yawned at the chrono. 0500, it said. It was an hour before the training session started. She had time to ready herself and eat a little breakfast, thank the Force. Her stomach grumbled loudly as if in agreement. As Sabe removed her nightgown, the strange carved necklace she had been wearing so long caught itself in her long hair and some of the nightgown's buttons. She stumbled around, half in and half out of her clothing in an attempt to free the troublesome chain.

"Ugh!" Sabe finally succeeded in flinging the nightdress onto her bed, as well as the necklace, which had accidentally skidded into the corner of the room. Slipping on a tunic and pants, she ambled over the bed and stretched her arm to retrieve the pendant. After her flailing fingers had clasped the rough edges of the pendant, she put it close to her face, examining it.

Sabe had done this many times over the years, but she had never deciphered the meaning of the carving, nor the type of stone that had been engraved. The pale beige rock was smooth and slippery, yet it looked rougher. She even supposed that it could be wood, not stone. However, it was dense and hard, unlike many woods she had before encountered. Its chain was some sort of primitive animal leather, a dark brown color.

The pendant had four straight marks that gave it a concave look, inverting into a square with a single dot in the middle. Above and below the square, in between the lines, someone had carefully etched two small crosses. What it might mean, she sadly reflected, was never to be known.

Not even in all the strange, recurring dreams she had encountered, had there ever been mention of this necklace. After awakening from the comatose state she had supposed it to be some sort of key into her past. She had woken up with it and kept it on ever since. But now, she wasn't so sure that it wasn't just a meaningless accessory. Nonetheless, Sabe had become sentimental towards it, as if it truly belonged next to her heart.

She closed her hand around the pendant once more, and placed it around her neck again. She took a quick look in the mirror and then walked out.


	20. Puzzles

Sabe groaned in pain as the weak spot was subjected to light pressure. Her eyelashes flitted. She groaned once more.

"Let me help you with that." Luke was adjacent to her, an ice-pack in his hand.

She slowly nodded her gratitude as he gently placed the cool object on her right eye. It had been only a mere hour and she had been injured - a rare occurrence. But when the accident-prone Jar Jar Binks was involved, it was hard to avoid injury altogether.

As she had so accurately predicted, Jar Jar had gotten his head smacked into the floor of his own control, and subsequently dislodged blood from his nose. In his clumsiness he had managed to hit Sabe hard in the face with the empty blaster in his hand.

Thus, here she was, resting with an ice-pack on a black eye and a sore right side of her face. She could only hope that Jar Jar was capable of doing the same to the opposition, and not hurting his allies on accident. She was certain that if he was to be left alone with the Imperials he could wipe out a squadron by tripping them over.

Sabe let the cool waves over her face, and then took the opportunity to corner Luke.

"Do you remember the dreams -all the visions- that I've been having recently?"

He nodded reluctantly.

"Do you remember what I had asked of you, and you had refused?"

Once again, he nodded, but with more rigidness.

"Would you still refuse if I asked you again?"

This time, he replied with his voice. "I know it's troubling you. But I don't think--"

With a curt, blunt, reckless edge to her tone, she interrupted him. "I don't care, Luke. You've got to help me. If I go into a daydream tomorrow. . . who knows what might happen. They've been torturing me for weeks, strangely just after you and your friends arrived. They've been all the more frequent this week and I've got to get away. I admit that I want to see them, in a way. But living in the past. . ." she bit her lip, "is no way to live at all. I think I've just got to move on, eve though I still feel like I haven't got all the answers. But in order to get on with my life, however much there may be left of it, I can't have all this baggage with me."

Luke's blue eyes stared in her direction, but were glazed over with a sort of faded look, as if he were thinking back to some other time. Just when she was beginning to think he would refuse her again, he quietly returned,

"Alright. But I can't guarantee anything."

She breathed in relief. "That's all I need."

* * *

Naboo's sun descended behind the distant crystalline waters. All had been ordered to an early rest in preparation for tomorrow; work would begin at 0400 sharp. Because of Jaren's involvement in the Rebellion, all the participants of the Palace Strike Team were going to bunk in the underground for the night.

Sitting on a pile of musty bed sheets and blankets, Sabe awaited Luke Skywalker. He had told her that he would "try it out" after dinner in the mess hall. She had finished anxiously half an hour ago, and was tracing her fingertips over her necklace impatiently.

Her head snapped up raptly as she head the sound of footsteps.

"I don't know if this will work," said Luke, pulling a nearby stool close to the bed and sitting cross-legged on it.

Sabe smiled slightly. "Please, just try. If it doesn't, at least I won't be wondering about it."

There was a suspenseful silence that clouded the air until he instructed her to close her eyes. She complied readily. More suspenseful silence followed, which she broke with:

"What now?"

"I'm thinking," he said with a kind of amateurish, uncertain tone. He began to mumble under his breath, and she decided it was best to leave him to his own musings for right now, at least.

With her eyes closed, in the late hour of the day, and with the cushioning blankets beneath her, Sabe was beginning to feel tired. Her head sunk gratefully into the pillow, and her breathing was quiet, slightly slower than when she was completely awake. Sabe was soon asleep, Luke still fettering at her bedside. It wasn't long before he noticed her slumber.

Though he would have preferred to have just left and made up a lie about the whole thing, he could sense that her normal boundaries were down, and the gateway to her inner conscious was open to him. Resisting the urge to simply leave, Luke shut his own eyes and concentrated on Sabe's subconscious, dreaming self. It was calm a matter of moments before her normal dreams began, and Luke witnessed the downfall of his father.

After sensing that Padme had been choked, just as he had usually dreamt, he began to dig deeper into the memory until the scene had lapsed far longer.

On the bed, Sabe was twitching in sleep.

Luke was beginning to connect memories. He recalled the vision he'd received on Endor, and the one that both he and Sabe were now going through. They were, as he had suspected, the same:

_She was weak and depressed. Trapped helplessly in this careless plot of fate. She no longer desired to live without _him. _But there was something else that denied that selfishness. Two somethings, that deserved to live, despite _his _mistakes. She would do this last deed, for their sake. She must!_

_Pushing, sweating, crying, screaming, and then smiling until she had broken down. Too weak to do anything more, but too strong to let go, to move on. She could not. She would not. She must not, for their sake. They would need her someday._

_"Obi-Wan. . . there's good in him. . .I know, I know there's. . . still." Hanging on by last breaths, last threads, she fades from being, but not existing. There are distant cries she will never hear or soothe, but someday, someday, things will be different._

Sabe woke up again in tears and heaving breaths. A shocked Luke tried to soothe her but she swatted him away.

Distressed and confused as ever, Sabe hid her face in her hands, trying to stop crying. In a few minutes, the tears had dried from her red-rimmed eyes, and the weeping had reduced to a hiccup-sob.

"What _was _that?"

"I don't know," Luke answered shakily.

"I've never, _never _seen it before."

A small pause came, and then--

"I have. And I know what it is. But I'm still puzzled as to _why. . ._" He had acquired the same distant look he'd had before.

She gazed at him curiously, wondering what he might be thinking. How had he seen it before? Was he the child being born? _Yes, _the voice in her head told her, _You're getting warmer._

"Sabe."

Coming back to reality, she realized that she had been staring. Again.

"I need more time to think about it. I'm sorry this exercise didn't work out the way you wanted it to. We need to sleep - for tomorrow. If we win, I promise I'll help you decipher these--" Luke stopped short when he heard shouting nearby.

"What's _my _problem, your Worship? You should know!" It was Han.

He was in a fight with Leia, and it didn't sound pretty. "And what is _that _supposed to mean?"

"My problem, Princess, is that Tarkin look alike with the long, girly hair. He's just a simperin' suck up and he's using you!"

Leia didn't supply a rebuttal for a few moments. Luke and Sabe assumed that she was fuming. "Don't get overprotective on me, flyboy. You have no need at all to be jealous, if that's what you're getting at_. _I _can _take care of myself!"

Han's reply was exacting and heartfelt, though extremely angry, as if angry at both himself, Leia, and Jaren. There was no more need for the nicknames or the shouting.

"Fine. If that's the way you feel. You're not indestructible, Leia. I know you know that, but you're just so damn stubborn that I don't know why I've been hanging around here so long to protect you from yourself."

Sabe could hear the _click click _of his boots as he walked away from Leia. The area was engulfed in a stunned silence long after Han had departed, and neither Luke nor Sabe knew where Leia had gone. Luke left her, apologizing one last time, probably in search of his sister.

Alone, she considered the quarrel. Despite the fact that she wasn't well acquainted with Solo, Sabe was aware that he cared for the Princess. To what extent, she had not known. Now, however, she understood his strange behavior toward Jaren. Sabe heard his care reflected in the way he spoke to Leia, and recognized that streak of protectiveness he had shown for the Alderaanian. Han Solo, truly, deeply, loved her.

Troubled by tonight's events, Sabe fell into a fretful sleep once more.

* * *

Luke had actually retreated to find Han. Leia would likely be in no mood to speak to him after their last private conversation. Additionally, he felt that he really needed to be there for Han.

Down the hall, Chewie was standing with his arms crossed in front of the open entrance to Han's sleeping area.

[Han is very grumpy. He said he wants to be alone, but I think that his wishes are best to ignore.]

"What happened?"

The Wookiee lowered his voice. [It was at dinner. The Princess was talking to that Jaren fellow the whole time. Han became jealous and then, you know most of the rest.]

"Um. . . most of the rest?"

[Just the usual banter before the shouts.]

If the mood were a bit lighter, Luke would have laughed. Still, he couldn't keep from smirking just a little. "Ah. Okay, well I'm going to talk to him."

Chewie growled his thanks and let Luke inside. Han was laying under a blanket, face turned to the wall, pretending to be asleep. He still had his clothes on, so Luke thought it safe to take the blanket off and sit on the bed.

"Go away, kid. I don't wanna talk or hear no Jedi nonsense."

Luke rolled his eyes briefly before saying, "C'mon Han."

Han turned to face him and sat up against the headboard wall. "What do you want me to say, Luke? That we'll just kiss and make up? She _knows _I love her, dammit. And I thought she loved me back, but ever since she was in that prison, she's been distant. What's wrong?"

He was looking at the wall as he said this, with a bitterly lost expression on his face.

"Han, you know that Vader is our father. You can accept it, because as far as you're concerned, that has nothing to do with her. I can accept it because I know that he wasn't all evil, but Leia hates him with a passion."

Snorting, Han said, "I can't blame her there."

"Neither can I. But she's got to see past it, or the hate will consume her. That's the way people turn to the Dark."

Han looked at him. "Leia wouldn't--"

"I know," Luke interrupted firmly, "but things like that still happen. Anakin Skywalker is a good example. The truth is, that she needs to move on and let go. She may never forgive him, but she cannot allow herself to hate him for the rest of her life. You've got to stay steadfast, Han. She needs you more than she'll presently admit; and you need her too."

"I know."


	21. Things Go Horribly Awry

Leia awoke earlier in the morning than necessary, for she, like Sabe, had experienced a restless night's sleep. The things Luke had said to her earlier, what Sabe had told her last week, and the fight she'd had with Han had all become her terrors in the dark of the night.

Carefully selecting proper underclothes, a simple uniform, and a pair of black boots from a nearby chair, Leia quietly walked into the main hall of the 'NRO.' At the far end was an easy-access water tap; she filled a bowl with the ice cold fluid and proceeded to wash her hands and face. Wiping the water from her face with a towel, she looked down at her trembling hands.

Just a week and a half before, they had been covered in blood. Cold, murdered blood.

_Don't give in to hate._

Black, beady eyes were glazed over in listless unawareness. A sign of death. The pristine, sterile room was splattered with unclean, unsightly red. Her throat had ached from screams and tears, and her head was dizzy with delusions, with anger.

_They are, as Yoda says, a Path to the Dark Side._

Did Luke mean what she thought he had meant? Did he really intend to imply that she, of all people, might fall victim to the same sick evil that had so thrived in the likes of Vader and Palpatine? Would her own brother, her twin, go that far?

And, more importantly, something whispered to her - was he right?

Leia's fist clenched on the towel and before she knew it, the bowel was flung halfway across the room.

He couldn't be right. He couldn't. No. . . no, never.

She would not, could not, do those things or cause such atrocities.

_I am **not **evil. Not like him. I love Luke, Han, and Chewie and I loved -still love- my father, Bail._

Leia walked over to the discarded bowl, this phrase becoming her mantra as she replaced it gently onto the table.

_I am not evil. I love people. I love my brother, Han, Chewie, and Bail Organa my father.

* * *

_

"Daddy! Deysa comin'! Hurries up!" Abso Bar Binks hollered. He had position himself early in the morning at the doors of an Imperial forest outpost.

Word of the Gungan presence had spread fast, and reinforcements would soon be on their way to exterminate the "ugly frog idiots."

"Okee-dayo!" From the depths of the giant trees, slinking past the sturdy trunks, were hundreds of mounted and walking Gungans, all wielding their special armor and strangely electric blue weaponry. With a superiorly sagely air, Boss Tarpals blew into the mouthpiece of a long and curvy horn: The final battle for freedom had begun.

Abso heard an ominous rumbling off in the distance; Jar Jar and the elder Gungans present felt nostalgic at the noise. It was the familiar hum of machinery, yet this time, no nine year old Skywalkers would save them from defeat. It was almost entirely up to them until two twenty three year old Skywalkers would come to the rescue.

Taking a last look at the sky, at his son, and then his log-time friend, Roos Tarpals, Jar Jar thought, _May'n da Force bein' wit us, Ani, Padme!_

Through the pleasant breeze, over top a green hill, Imperial Scout Walkers and several ground tanks were approaching. It was a life for a life. All were silent, praying to their deities for luck and victory. When the murmurings had ceased, Tarpals yelled once again, "Activate the _shield!"_

A transparent blue dome surrounded them, and the Imperial crafts seemed to increase their pace. Abso tapped a device on his wrist, to indicate others back at the Palace that now was the time to begin their assault, and that the diversion was so far successful.

At nearly 500 meters away, the opposition began to fire. The bolts were absorbed in the deflector shield, prompting the Imperials to fire multiple times, to no avail. However, the Gungans would not sit and wait for the fight to finally arrive. With one of their wooden catapults, carved from the native trees, they flung a single, large "boomer" at an AT-ST, which fizzled and crashed to the ground, smoking. The Army cheered hopefully at this first defeat, but Jar Jar only tightened the grip on his kaadu's reins.

One down, twenty-nine more to go.

* * *

Blue Hand Squadron and their additional helpers were waiting nervously at the closed Theed hospital. A small light on Sabe's wrist chrono began to blink.

"It's started," she announced. "Time to go!"

Dawn had just arrived. People were once again assembling to protest the totalitarian regime, and the group of Rebels slipped past the crowd, unnoticed. They snuck into an east side courtyard, easily disposing of the dozen officers and guards. From there, they broke in through a door, where more guards were waiting. Unfortunately, this time, there had been back up.

A blaster fight began, and shots flew everywhere. "Split up into pairs and confuse them! Hurry! Chewie, take the droids; everyone else, meet at the destination!" Sabe was shouting as she made several accurate hits one three troopers.

The rest unanimously agreed, Luke was about to grab Leia before he caught sight of her running off with Jaren. Han was furious, but ran along with Luke as the rest had dispersed. Chewie had disappeared with Artoo and Threepio to the control room, while Sabe had taken a quick route with another of her female officers up the stairs, pursued by more stormtroopers, who seemed to have expected them. As Han and Luke ran, the white-clad men had come out of every nook and cranny possible to delay them.

"Why," began Han, blasting another round, "are there," he paused as five more fell, "so many of them!?"

Twirling his lightsaber, Luke replied, "How am I supposed to know?"

The Corellian smirked, undoing a grenade from his belt to slow the incoming traffic. "You're the Jedi!"

Once again, the pair broke into a run in order to flee the loud explosion that followed the grenade. At a fork in the proverbial road, they were surrounded by more stormtroopers. Thinking quickly, Han shot on of the nearby windows to pieces. Using their guns, they ascended two more floors.

This time, the corridor was empty, and they had found a convenient turbolift.

"Get in, kid," huffed Han. "I don't have time for all this runnin'."

A light on a side panel told them that they had almost reached the Throne Room, were the despotic Governor would be abiding. Just when Luke had thought things were going smoothly, that the Force was definitely on their side today, the machine jolted to a screeching halt.

"This is turning out to be one helluva day!"

Luke gulped. "Stay calm. I'll figure it out." His friend snorted sarcastically.

"Right. I'm sure you can. Really I am. Just as sure as they're gonna get here any minute, Luke."

The Jedi activated his lightsaber again, causing Han to jump back by a foot. Luke ignored him and began to cut a hole in the top of the turbolift.

"They'll never find us if we can get away first. Hop up, old buddy."

Han sighed. "Me an' my big mouth. All right." He clambered out the hole, with not a little help from Luke, and the Force. Once they were both standing on the lift's roof, Luke said, "Let's use these ascension things again and make it to the next floor. Hopefully some of the others have arrived by now." Upon his suggestion, they were now hanging on the edge of the door. With his lightsaber, Luke was attempting to slice through yet another door. However, he soon discovered that this had been the wrong move.

"Inside, Rebel scum. You're under arrest."

* * *

_Running, echoing blasts, smoke and charred metal._

Sabe, despite her age, was surprisingly agile. Lase was trying to keep up with her, as were the countless hordes of stormtroopers.

_Did they expect us? Was our information leaked?_

The Imperials were cornering them too easily, and everything was happening at too rapid a pace. In a few distracted moments, Sabe realized too late.

_It's a trap! _

Her comrade fell to the ground as a dart hit her straight in the back. Blurs of red flew back and forth until Sabe recognized that Aimee Lase was dead.

"NO! Aimee!" Aimee's eyes were wide with shock, paralleling Sabe's look of terror.

A stray bolt just barely struck her on the side, to which she reacted with a vengeance. Taking the blaster in both her hands, she fired incessantly at the front line, ruthlessly wiping them out as they struggled to avoid her firing range. In respect for Aimee's body, Sabe took the younger, but dead, girl in her arms and carried her off to a secluded corner, deciding to come back later.

Wiping away a few tears of mourning, she sped up a narrow staircase. It was halfway up when she felt a sharp pain kick in inside of her head - or was it her heart?

Dizzy, the Nubian staggered on the steps, clutching her head in pain.

_Someone is in danger. They need help! _


	22. Face to Face Encounters

The noise of the Imperials faded behind her as she followed her partner diligently, wishing that she were instead with Han. Or at least, if not with him, than with her brother.

Currently, Jaren was several paces ahead of her, and he looked rather tense, but nonetheless has a keen sense of direction. However, she noticed, by symbolic indications on walls, that he was actually going down lower from where they needed to be. Actually, now that she paid more attention, he was going to the level where she and the others had discovered the dying Commander's body - the lowest possible level of the Palace.

"We're supposed to be going up, Jaren. You see, you're going lower and lower. Come on, we need to get going in time to meet the others."

He almost smiled. "I know we're getting lower. There's a shortcut. Trust me."

Looking at the back of his head, Leia raised her eyebrows dubiously. _I've got a bad feeling about this, _Han's voice echoed in her mind.

When the two arrived at the top of the stairs, Jaren stopped in front of her and motioned her to move first. "Ladies first."

Leia's brain was freezing up on overdrive: she knew that going first was not a good idea, but how could she refuse without putting herself in an awkward situation? Against her better judgement, she descended two steps lightly, as if waiting for them to disappear under her feet.

After she had finished the first flight, her boots securely balanced on the landing, Leia exhaled in partial relief.

But then gasped sharply as someone pushed her head first down the next flight.

Leia had no power to stop herself from falling and rolling until the next landing. It had been a grievous mistake, because her attacker had already been two steps ahead, aiming a hard kick at her ribs. She yelped as she continued to roll down the next flight of stairs.

Han had been right not to trust Jaren.

Finally, she stopped moving at the end of the stairs, the wind sufficiently knocked from her lungs, and her head feeling dizzy. Slowly, she drew her blaster from her utility belt and fired shots at Siol.

As he began to approach her, Leia scrambled to her feet, breaking into a run. She had to get back on the upper levels, she needed to run, she had to escape this traitor!

"You can run Princess, but you can't hide!" He fired three shots in he direction. One singed her sleeve and another caught her boot, but managed to avoid her foot. Cold sweat poured from her forehead and laced the back of her neck as she saw the straight narrow hall in front of her - again.

* * *

[Hurry up, Threepio! Or I will tie you to my back again!] Chewie roared loudly above the sounds of ricocheted shooting.

The unlikely trio had been unluckily pursued by practically a garrison of stormtroopers. Thus far, however, Chewbacca's superior Wookiee strength had kept the offenders at bay. Still, the hobbling golden protocol's speed was hampered by a slow pace over which he had barely any control. Artoo-Detoo, as usual, decided to take matters into his own hands.

Pausing until his droid friend had gotten ahead of him, Artoo accelerated right behind Threepio, pushing him forward. His heroic action was not met with much gratitude.

"Goodness gracious, me! Artoo, I protest this madness. Do not manhandle me--" He shut up as Artoo pushed him to the left in order to narrowly dodge a blaster bolt their way.

Chewie turned around, frustrated, and brushed off two of the front-running gunmen with his bowcaster. Then, as they recognized the Wookiee's raw strength, he flung one of the bodies into the throng of troopers, effectively tripping them all in a mess of blasters and helmets.

[What direction now?] he growled as they reached a dead end, a terrace.

Artoo whistled something which Chewie, or course, did not understand, and which Threepio had no time to translate.

"What? No! Artoo-Detoo, get me dow--Oh!"

The resourceful astromech had activated his booster rockets, using two of his 'arms' to keep his protocol friend flying. Chewie understood, and flung himself upwards from the rail of the terrace. He was used to such acrobatics as on his home planet, they often moved around by jumping and swinging from the tall worshyr trees.

The droids landed smoothly on another balcony, located at the control room floor.

Without any stormtroopers to aggravate them, the three made their way smoothly. That is, until they actually entered the control room.

About a dozen guards were stationed at the door, who were taken care of easily. Being that they weren't dead, Chewie piled them in a corner, and used one of the guards' fingerprints for identification. They were overwhelmed as the door opened; dozens upon dozens of troops had awaited them inside.

"Discard your weapons, you filthy brute. We've caught you. Deactivate the droids and we promise not to kill you."

At this point, Threepio began speaking. "Chewbacca, I do think that it is rather prudent we--" The rest of his sentence was shut off as Chewie complied to one of their wishes.

"Good. Give us your weapon. Make any false moves, and we'll burn the fur off of you." Their blasters inclined ever-so-slightly upwards.

Before Chewbacca could even react to their threats, Artoo once again saved the day. Spurting gasoline from inside another one of his hidden compartments. Using his bowcaster, Chewbacca picked up the act easily and fired at the pool of gasoline. Soon enough the whole room was aflame, the alarms had gone off, and their impromptu plan had worked to some degree when, all the live officers ran past them, screaming with reckless abandon.

[Good job! Now how do we put it out? We still need to deactivate the aerial posts and send an encrypt to stop the diversion fight.]

His question was shortly answered as Artoo extracted yet another useful tool which produced a dense white mist and put out the fire almost instantly. Closing the door once more, Chewie found it safe enough to turn Threepio back on.

"How rude! I say, Chewbacca, I will not stand for this!"

[Quiet, droid. Little droid, access the central computer. Follow Sabe's instructions.]

Artoo went to work diligently and plugged his 'arm' straight into the socket of the computer terminal while Chewie took over the control board to lock down the main exits. Threepio, meanwhile, set about trying to clean up the mess.

After ten minutes, Chewie was wondering what was wrong with the computer. Threepio translated as futhork script scrolled across the screen, which read: Access denied. The code you are using is outdated as of yesterday. Try again.

The Wookiee slammed his fist into the communications board, and it fizzled with an electric current before it began smoking. Just then, Threepio had a rare, but nonetheless good, suggestion.

"Artoo, try to reset the computer and then input the code. Quickly!"

* * *

"Ah. The infamous Luke Skywalker, destroyer of the Death Star. And Han Solo, the smuggler with his pet Wookiee. I must say I'm rather pleased to meet you both. Just as much as I will be pleased to terminate your lives."

In binders, Han and Luke were standing in front of a middle-aged, slightly fat, and very gray-haired Imperial Governor Pantorin. Though Han was severely tempted to reply with sarcasm, Luke nudged him in the direction of the two squads that were surrounding them on either side.

"Greetings, Governor. I would like to congratulate you for almost single-handedly capturing us."

Pantorin smiled smugly. "Of course. So you _can _be civil. But let's discard the pleasantries and cut to the chase, why don't we? Where are the other Rebels, for instance?"

Han couldn't resist spitting in the man's ugly, squished, fat face. "Go to hell!"

The Governor turned red, scrunching up his nose to wipe the saliva from his cheek. "You filthy street scum! Hit him."

A nearby trooper used his blaster to beat Han to the floor, who, without use of his fists, found it hard to defend himself. The two began to scuffle and eventually the trooper fired his blaster at Han's leg - in the calf, close to the knee. The Corellian yelled angrily and wrestled the weapon from the soldier's hands, until two more scooped him up by the arms.

"You will release us," Luke tried, flitting his fingers slowly.

It had worked, but only briefly. "I will--What're _you _doing? You think you're a Jedi?"

"You will release us," repeated Luke, now with more insistence.

Exasperated, Pantorin had Luke bound and gagged, along with Han, whose leg injury, though not fatal, was bleeding freely. When Pantorin noticed the flowing red liquid, he told a trooper to tie that up too.


	23. Some Rescue

So far, neither side of this battle were winning. While the Imperials came ever-closer, they were impeded by the boomers which basically short-circuited the wiring of their machines, thus crashing and disabling them. However, the Gungan advantage was short-lived.

A single blast to one of the shield generators dissolved the transparent blue dome, and the Gungans began to disperse and partially surround the Imperials. Regardless, the firepower of the AT-STs threw vegetation and dirt everywhere; the Gungan catapults were also targeted. Soon enough, the field was full of smoking debris, a portion of the trees were up in flame, and the Gungans were frantically retreating and weaving through the opposing side in an attempt to destroy the machines by smaller means.

As Sabe had hoped, Jar Jar was up to his usual, though completely unintentional, mischief. Riding on a kaadu with a blaster in tow, his kaadu bucked him off when it became spooked by the fire. Naturally, Jar Jar's finger pushed hard on the trigger and the bolts managed to dislodge another wagon full of large boomers, thereby gaining some advantages.

Unfortunately, the kaadu's reign had twisted around one of Jar Jar's ankles. Consequently, the old Gungan was being dragged through the dirt, screaming in terror and panic. Abso, who was still attached to a fast-paced mount of his own, noticed his father's distress and came to the rescue.

"Dad, hold still!" He aimed his vibro-spear at the reigns, trying to rip them from the animal without causing damage to it.

"Hold still?! Whaten is'a yousa tinkin I'sa doin'?"

Suddenly, a huge blast went of in front of the Binkses; Jar Jar and his rampant kaadu were tossed into the air, spinning, as the force of the blast erupted the ground. Jar Jar's foot had finally broken free of its restraint, and he looked amidst the chaotic mess for his son.

"Abso? Abso Bar? Son! Abso!"

Writhing under the weight of a temporarily unconscious kaadu, Abso wheezed, "Mesa okey-day, Dad."

Jar Jar pushed the weighty pack animal over and assisted Abso Bar, who immediately snapped back into the fight. With the use of their lithe amphibian figures, father and son weaved under hordes of fleeing beings until they were under the belly of a scout walker. Using the spear again, Abso jammed wires in the left "foot," effectively crippling the metal menace.

* * *

Threepio's suggestion would have worked, had the central computer been able to process it. The computer, being a new, inexperienced system, was extremely uncooperative in the sense that it did not understand, or chose not to obey, directions from other machines. It required everything to be in an Imperial encrypt until complying to poor Artoo's instructions.

Yet the astromech was still having trouble in locating the system's memory, which was protected by several other complicated codes and passwords.

"What is taking so long, Artoo?"

Frustrated, the droid beeped sarcastically.

"Well, there's no reason to be rude about it now. What is this wretched thing doing?" The golden protocol gestured towards the screen, random splotches of futhork, Basic, and Aurebesh scrolling across it.

Artoo was whistling and beeping furiously, spinning his "arm" turbulently inside the terminal. Something was going haywire, and it definitely wasn't his fault. The computer had gone on overload, and was preparing to shut off the entire power system.

* * *

Leia covered her head with her arms, which were raised in such a position to protect her skull from any possible injuries. Jaren was in close pursuit, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep dodging his shots.

There were doors to her left, spaced two or three meters apart; so far, she had already passed two. Looking ahead, she realized that the end of the corridor -a dead end, no less- was close.

A fourth door caught her attention and she wrenched it open, slamming it shut once fully inside the room. But when Leia took a moment of respite and relief, she saw that the four doors had, in fact, connected to a huge laboratory full of tables, chemical supplies, and technical equipment. Finally, the meaning of the cold temperatures had been explained.

_Shavit. _

Jaren burst through another door, and Leia slipped underneath a nearby table, whipping out her blaster. She fired in his direction, but she had apparently missed.

"You can stop this now, and you won't get hurt. I don't want to have to kill you."

That's when things clicked in Leia's brain. Jaren was working for the Empire. Of course! It was Jaren who had revealed their location the day she was captured. He had alerted the Imperials of their attack plan, the reason behind the multitude of stormtroopers that had awaited their arrival. She felt extremely stupid fot not deducing it sooner.

"You dirty, double-crossing, traitor! How long?"

The only answer she received was a barrage of blaster bolts in her direction - they were blue. He was trying to stun her.

Leia set her own weapon on "stun." She wanted him alive, so that he would be available for interrogation later. Swerving around the desk's edge, she produced two shots in his direction, which he just barely avoided by crawling under another table. She kept firing, in hopes that he might fall unconscious sooner than later.

As she was stalking down an aisle between two rows of equipment, her head perked to a strange, inhuman shrieking. It wasn't quite an alarm, but it certainly wasn't the lunch bell either. All of a sudden, the noise stopped and every single light blinked out, making the room pitch black.

Because of her inability to discern objects clearly, Jaren was safely concealed on the floor. He silently crept up behind her, ready to make his move.

She still ended up hitting him in the face with her blaster, but he knocked it from her grip and threw her to the ground. She retaliated by aiming a kick at his groin, and, in his distraction, searched for her discarded weapon. However, Jaren hadn't been distracted long enough.

Taking the back of his blaster, he struck Leia hard in the back of the head, rendering her out cold.

"The Little Princess has picked her last fight."

He walked gingerly to a cabinet with five beakers inside. Each one was full of a clear, odorless liquid that he extracted carefully with a needle and gloves. Just as he was about to inject the mysterious serum into Leia's arm, a strange clicking noise at the back of his ear froze his motion.

"Stop right there, or I swear I'll kill you Jaren."

It was Sabe. She had heard the screaming and felt Leia's pain, arriving in the nick of time.

A few moments passed before he could muster, "Why, Corrin, whatever do you mean? The Princess needs treatment, she's taken a terrible fall."

"Liar," she spat.

He smirked in the dark. So she wasn't as stupid as he'd thought. Jaren rose from the ground slowly, hands above his head in a surrendering gesture.

"So you've been betraying us? This entire time? How long, Siol, if that is even your real name."

His back still facing her, he answered coolly, "Yes, that actually is my real name. But what about you, Corrin? You don't even have a memory. Who knows what kind of simpletons sired you?"

Her hand shook. "Don't change the subject, traitor. How long? From the beginning?"

Now, he turned and faced her, a smile adorning his mouth. "Yes, as a matter of fact. From the beginning. Even from the time when you were a distraught vagrant seeking shelter I was an Imperial. When the Rebellion came along, my importance was significantly raised. And I've fooled you idiots all along."

"Yes, indeed you have. But not any longer. You've just revealed yourself to us, and you'll never get away with it."

Jaren's eyebrows raised slightly. "I don't think so. You see, I might say that I was rendered unconscious while _you _took care of the Princess. Then, I would have done the right thing by ending your life. No one would really be able to prove otherwise. After all, you've got a suspicious enough past that the story fits."

Sabe's finger was slipping on the trigger. "You've miscalculated. You still have no weapon. I've got you cornered Jaren. Just admit it."

The two were within less than a meter's distance from each other. As he lunged forward, her blaster went off in the wrong direction and she felt something sharp stab her upper arm.

"What have you _done_?" She cried, falling to the floor and clenching the skin just beneath her left shoulder. It was throbbing, almost a burning sensation, at the point of injection. Sabe felt twice as heavy as she descended on the cold duracrete floor.

"Sentenced you to a slow, painful execution. Exactly what filth like you deserves."


	24. Victory Or Not

**A/N: The sequence might be a little confusing, because chronologically, the first scene is actually _before_ the power goes out in Chapter 23.**

Han was experiencing some throbbing and burning pain of his own. He winced as the guard wrapped cloth around his knee to stem the flow of the blood. Meanwhile, Governor Pantorin was talking quietly into a comm on his desk.

"Very well. Bring her here."

_Her?_ Han thought. Had Leia gotten caught too?

He hoped nothing bad had happened to her, but unlike Luke, he didn't have the kind of extra-sensory Force perception to make an accurate diagnosis of the Princess' condition. He almost oozed with relief when one of the Blue Hand Squadron members, Naomi Kavan, if he remembered correctly. She was struggling in between the arms of her stormtroopers escorts, and though she had binders on, her loud mouth and fast feet seemed to cause enough trouble.

"Let go of me! Don't touch me! Get your hands off, or I swear I'll kill you!" The words that followed were things that would have made the prissy Goldenrod short circuit. Eventually, they threw her down next to Luke, gagging and binding her similarly.

"Have you gotten rid of the Wookiee yet?"

Han's breath caught in his throat as he waited for the underling on the other side of the comm to answer.

"No, sir. They have not arrived here yet, but we await them now."

The Corellian sighed in relief. Chewie was keeping them on their toes, so far.

"Well, make sure you've fully apprehended the beast. Then lock it in the high security dungeon. It may prove useful later, unlike our other guests. Alert me as soon as you have collected the prisoners."

The connection bleeped out, and Pantorin swiveled his chair to face them. The stormtrooper who had injured Han's leg stepped forward, his blaster held close. Han saw that his armor was different, marked with yellow. He removed their gags.

"Right. Pop quiz, and I do hope you've studied. If not, I'm afraid that Commander Gam here will have to inflict punishment. Breaking bones one by one, slowly, as to jog your memories. But I had so been hoping for more of your little friends to arrive," said Pantorin as Naomi writhed on the ground, beating her feet on the floor.

Han and Luke glanced at each other anxiously, wondering what cruelty they might undergo, as well as, what the others were doing.

Yet when Pantorin had talked about breaking bones, he hadn't meant them. Commander Gam roughly placed Naomi in a chair. She squealed through the cloth in her mouth, and her limbs twitched, anxious to make contact with flesh. The Commander allowed her to spit the rag out, which proved to be a mistake of sorts.

A string of hearty profanities, at a considerable volume, streamed from her tongue.

"Shut up, rebel. Or else."

"Oh yeah? Is that the best you got, huh? I bet I could take you on any day, buddy! I--"

The words left her throat when Gam silenced her, permanently. Though she had been annoying, Han and Luke were still saddened that she'd had to die.

"Thank you, Commander. I was beginning to get a headache. Alright, Skywalker, Solo. This is turning tedious. And I'm sure you don't want to go the same way as this one." His eyes flickered on Naomi.

"Where are the Rebels stationed now? What are they planning?"

"To the first, if you think we'll answer that, then maybe you haven't heard enough about us. To the second, if you don't know that already, you'll find out soon enough when you end up in a prisoner of war camp!"

Pantorin had a sour look on his face, like he had swallowed a glass of blue milk. It passed quickly before he said, "Too bad, Solo. You've flunked the first question and earned yourself a bad grade."

Just when Commander Gam started to round on them, a piercing sound rung throughout the Palace. Though the power had failed, light was still cascading through the room's large windows. Yet the strange noise was enough time for Luke remove his and Han's binders. It was quick work to untie from the chairs when the room's other occupants began to notice what was going on. Still, Luke and Han were much too fast.

With use of the Force, Luke's lightsaber snapped into his hand, and Han got his DL-44 back. In a tremendous arc, Luke back flipped, landing behind the Governor and settling the blade close to his throat. Gam was about to shoot the Jedi, but when he felt Han's weapon at his back, he hesitated.

Smirking, the Corellian stated, "Class dismissed."

* * *

Sabe's slender form was slumped against the wall, as close as possible to Leia's body which was still splayed across the floor on her side. Sabe was beginning to feel nauseous and dizzy. Unnatural amounts of sweat were dripping from her forehead and throughout the rest of her. Her joints were aching like she had aged several decades, and her vision was getting slightly in and out of focus. Sabe also felt extremely dehydrated, her throat inflamed and her tongue heavy in her mouth. At the same time, she was shivering.

If she could have seen herself, she would have been rather astounded. Her face had gone ashen and her veins were revealing themselves beneath her skin with blue, purple, and red tints. Bruises had formed were she had recently been hit or bumped. The energy was slowly draining out of her.

She was still aware of Jaren's presence in the room. He was doing something with the beakers of clear solution, the same stuff he had injected in her. Something she did not notice, however, were the furtive glances he would give her every few seconds, after which he would write on a sheet of flimsi. The only source of light was a burner that he had ignited in order to see his work.

Even with the light of the fire, Sabe's vision was blurry. Her breathing was becoming raspy as her throat swelled.

"What. . . is. . . it?" She whispered.

Jaren looked at her again, and jotted something down. "For all your supposed cleverness, you haven't figured that out yet? But I suppose I can't blame you. My virus does seem to have that effect. You're the first human test subject. Congratulations, so to speak.

"Ah, right. Now to what it is. It is simply, the continuation of infamous Doctor Nuno Vindi's work. But he too was extremely foolish and had not enough of the ambition to release his strain effectively. What you are now experiencing is a perfected version of the Blue Shadow Virus. Modified, as I have said. It works considerably quicker, and attacks the entire nervous system. Its main function is to slowly shut down every process in the body, and eventually kills the recipient.

"You're just another lab rat, but your death is an important one not only because you are a Rebel, but also because your the perfect test subject. You are a healthy human specimen that I am anxious to study in your last hours. The others have had pre-existing conditions which most likely influenced the results, and they, unlike you, were of other species."

The virus was certainly attacking her nervous system. Sabe's brain felt like slush. After some moments, things connected.

"You. . . used them. All. . . of them. The-the," she coughed, horrified to find blood in her hand. Steadying herself, she continued, "The NRO underground. . . was all. . . a ploy. They. . . provided you. . . with. . . endless experiments. That's why. . . you were able. . . to keep room. . . because they were. . . constantly dying."

She hacked again, ignoring the blood. She was going to fight until the end, which she felt would come upon her soon.

"But. . . I still. . . don't know. . . why I'd never. . . seen this. . . before."

Jaren smiled sadistically. "I was wondering when we would come to this part of my journey." He recalled proudly:

"I don't think there's any hurt in explaining some things to you, Corrin. After all, you're about to die very soon, and the Princess won't know a thing. I would kill her, but she still has some use as a bargaining chip.

"When we met eleven years ago, I was twenty-one. I had just come from Alderaan, after my parents had disowned me for not being like them - simpering pacifists with nothing better to do than discuss art and peace. They were as stupid as they were pitiful. So, I had immediately enlisted in the Imperial Ranks and left them. I returned to Alderaan briefly and got stationed on Naboo. I was accomplished in sciences. My particular speciality was biochemistry.

"With this talent, I was able to work on projects for interrogation serums, poisons, toxins, and the like. I met that Eirtae girl, found her sheltering the filth of the galaxy. She was far too self-righteous, but I saw an opportunity in all of their apparently useless lives. I actually had use for them, because prisoners were rare on Naboo. I began to assist her, and gained her trust."

If she could have found the energy to swear, Sabe would have, at that moment.

"You came along, and joined us, a naive and wayward woman who had absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. I was suspicious, but you were a completely open book, as I soon deduced. Do you remember the deaths and illnesses? It was by _my _hand that those people -those things- met their end. And as well as they deserved it.

"But Eirtae, pregnant and hormonal, was getting suspicious of me at this point. I brushed her off, but in the end, as you know, I disposed of her. She was such a nosy goody-two-shoes. That brat of hers went with her, I believe."

Sabe found herself crying. She remembered that day. She had thought. . . it had been her own fault for not doing a better job as Eirtae's midwife. But all along, it had been sabotage.

Noticing her sobs, Jaren sneered, "Oh, you liked her a lot, didn't you? I had quite forgotten that you were even there the day she died. Well, nonetheless, my role had been elevated from mere scientist to head of a galaxy-wide operation. You're experiencing the results right now. It was right after the Rebel had approached me. You resigned that day, and I became worried that I might have to get rid of you the same way I did Eirtae.

"I should have done it sooner. But, alas, my superiors ordered me to become a double-agent, and commissioned me with creating a deadly plague. I've been working on the Blue Shadow Plague for eight years, the same amount of time that I've been a double-agent. And in addition, I've been fooling you all for more than a decade. My efforts will go down in history while yours will go down in the mud. There's some more to the story that I don't think I'll tell you, but it doesn't even matter because you, or your pitiful Rebellion, will live long enough to know about it."

A surge of confidence had awakened in Sabe. While her body was breaking down, her spirit was building up. If she was really to fight to the end, she couldn't merely use words to do so.

Swaying, and feeling like last night's dinner would make a reappearance, the former handmaiden stood on shaky legs. "That may. . . be true. . . but I still. . . have hope." She looked at Leia. "Because of people. . . like Leia. . . because the good. . . _always _triumphs. . . over evil. Because. . . you're. . . the weak one. . ."

Jaren laughed coldly. "You don't really think that you can defeat me?"

"I. . . don't think. . . I. . ." she staggered forward, ". . . know."


	25. Settlement of Affairs

**A/N: A slightly shorter chapter, but keep reviewing please! I'd like to thank everyone who's already done so, because I was extremely delighted when I got to the 100 review mark!**

Chewbacca was definitely having one of the worse days of his life. One of the factors to make it exponentially worse was the fact that he had spent almost the entirety of this bad fur day with See-Threepio, and inside a Palace controlled by Imperials. To top it all off, the Empire's malfunctioning central computer had shut off the power throughout the whole Palace.

He roared angrily, no longer able to control his temper, and smashed the keyboard with his massive fists. The only visible light in the relatively small control room were the glowing round optical receptors of the most annoyingly prissy droid the Wookiee had ever had the misfortune to meet.

"Now, Chewbacca! Please. Artoo! Hurry up and fix this you sorry excuse for a mechanic!" Chewie heard a metallic clunk, feeling sorry for the most heroic and rebellious droid he had ever met.

Artoo was droid-screeching and beeping at a rapid pace, finally making a raspberry-like sound.

"There's no need to be rude about it - just fix this you lump!"

The astromech complied without further protests. Chewie had no idea of what was going on, being that the closed room was extremely dark, but his spirits lifted as the central computer's screen sparked on.

A message scrolled across in the Nubian language.

Threepio translated: "Unable to accept your request. System reboot will occur in ten minutes. Please stand by."

As he finished reading, he said, rather pleased, "Well, that's good news, isn't it?"

* * *

Stormtroopers were tied in a comical pile behind Pantorin's desk, and Han was finishing chaining them all together. Luke, meanwhile, was working on negotiating with the Governor for an unconditional surrender, when he felt a sharp pain.

"You'll order the troops out there to call off their offense and then -- ah!" His hand snapped to the back of his head. It stung momentarily, but the strange sensation faded. He was aware of one thing - Leia was hurt, and in worse danger than before.

"What is it?" Han shouted, clearly suspicious.

Luke stammered. "It's. . . Leia. She's hurt. Han, I've got to help her. You take over here. Pantorin, excuse me, but I'll have to cut this short. You are to agree to General Solo's terms, or else."

"Wait, Luke!" The Corellian called as his friend took off, making quick work of the door.

"KID! LUKE! I'm a General, not a POLITICIAN!"

But the Jedi didn't heed Han's yelling, instead running with as much Force-advanced speed as he could muster, down the stair cases to trace Leia's presence. It was dormant, like in sleep, so he figured that she must be out cold. As Luke rushed down another flight of stairs, another sharp pain, this time in his arm, hit him. It was like an extremely hard poke. He cried out in surprise and tumbled down a few steps before he could picture what was going on.

Leia had been out cold, and Sabe was hurt, he sensed. He felt her Force-presence weakening -fading, almost- but understood that she was still trying to fight. What it was she fought, he could not tell, but her animosity towards it was strong. She was determined.

There was a definitive _snap-hiss _as his green lightsaber became unsheathed.

Luke only hoped that he could reach both women in time.

* * *

Her hand felt the table, and came in contact with something cool and pointy. It was the needle.

Bare seconds too late, Jaren rushed forward as he saw it in her hand, knocking the burner and snuffing the light out. Sabe bore down on her opponent, but her weakening condition was no match for his strong arms that were trying to wrestle the needle from her sweating hands. Nonetheless, her conviction to defeat him was strong and steadfast. The Imperial was finding it hard to pry her fingers from the tube.

The glinting edge was heading closer and closer towards his neck, and small drops of sweat were forming on his forehead. This was unnatural. She couldn't be doing this without some sort of hidden ability.

Rolling over, he dodged the point that would have taken his life. Her hand smashed against a table - the glass of the needle broke in her hands and she gasped slowly as blood poured from her fingers.

In the dark, that was all Jaren was able to hear. He fumbled around, searching for a blaster to stun her. His boot made contact with something hard - Leia's body. He began searching the floor around her for the discarded blaster.

Sabe saw his silhouette shifting back and forth from her stance on the ground. She had placed her hand on her tunic, holding it hard to stop the bleeding. It throbbed, a shard of glass stuck in her palm. Her mind was becoming foggier by the moment, but something told her to stay awake, forcing her to keep going.

With that inner awareness, she too groped around for a weapon. Her head was pounding as blood rushed in the wrong direction. Her hand, illuminated by little more than a small outline on the floor, felt out of focus. The outlines were tripled, and her eyes did not coordinate with her sense of touch.

She was searching, ever-so-desperately, to find something to help her out of this mess. Because there was the tiniest hope that she might succeed - maybe even live. She _must _find something! Silent tears were pouring down her cheeks as she clung to this irrational thought, and labored breaths emitted from between her lips. Her knees were so sore, but they moved as fast as possible on the hard, cold floor in order to find her last hope.

Her fluttering fingers felt something warm and soft. It was Leia's unconscious body. But. . . she had been looking for a blaster before she had been knocked out, hadn't she? Driven by that memory, Sabe frantically felt around for any sign of the blaster.

Meanwhile, Jaren was looking for exactly the same thing. Their hands met rather tremulously as they found the blaster at the same time. Neither knew which had grabbed the business end of the weapon, but another struggle played itself out on the floor.

Sabe was panting for breath. Her throat was slowly closing up now. It had swelled to maximum capacity, and her brain was drained. It was hard to distinguish what was really going on, but she kept a tight grip on the metal.

_I must win, _she told herself. _I can't give up._

Her middle finger hit something - it clicked.

Next, her index finger made another click as it wiggled around, pulling hard.

A bright beam of red shot out. Almost on instinct, Sabe flicked her finger again. . . and again, and again.

The next thing she knew was an immense weight draped over her torso. It was smoking, and had a strange, sleep-inducing smell.

Now, Sabe's conscious receded into a dizziness, characterized by her slowly closing lids, and a soft light. The light was welcoming, beckoning to her. She felt relieved, and strangely at peace as she saw it, and allowed its warm glow to envelop her completely.


	26. Going Over and Under

**A/N: S-Wanderer999 kindly pointed out that I had a duplicate chapter. I deleted the faulty version. Obviously, the latter was toasted. Anyway, that means that the previous Chapter 24 is now 23 and those of you who read it before May 20 need to read Chapter 24 again, being that the order was slightly screwed up. So. . . go read that first! Then, come back here and read this chapter! Thanks, and sorry I made that mistake!**

"Call for two more squads to help! Hurry!" The General was shouting frantically at the two subordinates in the tank.

A youth in uniform nodded, headphones covering his ears. Several frustrated moments passed, until he exclaimed, "They've jammed our transmissions! There is now way to get through to the Palace - how can they do it?"

"What?!"

"I'm sorry sir, but there's nothing I can do."

The Imperial yelled in aggravation as he was forced to order a temporary retreat from the dogfight he had _thought _was going to be like shooting practice for his under-experienced men. He had been proven extremely wrong. Already, half of his own men had fallen, their technology burning to the ground. Yet they had only managed to exterminate a third of their amphibian opposition.

As the diminished Imperials sunk back into the safety of the descending side of the hill, Boss Tarpals bellowed hoarsely, "FORWARD!"

Like a stampede, the Gungans and their kaadus ran wildly in the enemy's direction. The warriors were fueled by the knowledge that they were actually winning. Abso Bar and his father were at the forefront, running as fast as they could, spears in clutched tightly in their four-fingered hands.

Lana So Gallos was coming up from the other side of the hill, swerving around the Empire's machines and stopping them effectively in their tracks. She and the others behind her began to charge forward, small boomers on slings, and an active amount of adrenalin in their systems.

In a matter of minutes, the Gungans, both green and orange, encircled the few remaining tanks and Scout Walkers as the Imperial occupants clambered out with their hands above their heads. They had surrendered.

The elated Gungans cheered for their victory, went about taking weapons, and further disabling the Imperial machines. Meanwhile, Jar Jar looked in the direction of Theed, wondering whether his friends were having the same luck. He prayed that they did.

* * *

With the strange tingly sensation in his arm and on his neck, Luke barely paid a moments notice before Force-pushing a band of stormtroopers out of his way. He needed to hurry, before something - death, maybe? - could happen.

As his legs were straining with speed, his mind was also racing; thinking, that is, of the night before. Sabe's misplaced dreams and odd memories coupled with the visions Luke himself had been experiencing put his brain in a muddle. Why, _how _could she know these things?

What was it he had felt in her presence when they had first met? It was. . .

Familiar.

Her memories and visions of his father, of even his mother were inconceivably. . .

Familiar.

Her face, gestures, almost everything about her was. . .

Familiar.

Was it possible that she wasn't Sabe, as she claimed to be? That maybe, after all, Eirtae had been wrong when she had assumed the amnesiac woman was Sabe? Even though "Padme" had been buried, was it possible that the family had had the wrong body after all?

And more importantly, was Luke seriously considering that Sabe Corrin was not in fact Sabe Corrin, but his mother?

Luke could have slapped himself for not seeing the truth sooner. Especially when it had been right in front of his face this whole time. He was overcome with joy and a sense of urgency to save Sabe's -no, _Padme's- _life. It was at that point in which Luke realized that his mother still did not know of her true identity. Padme was still under the impression that she was Sabe.

Somehow, the Jedi's legs managed to form rapid steps as these conclusions coursed through his head. He sensed that she was getting closer, but at the same time, he could feel her slowly slipping away.

"No. . . no. . ." he muttered under his breath, trying to hold on to her Force-signature just a bit longer.

He had to save her!

Now, Luke descended the same staircase he had before. The air went cold, and his breath came out in small puffs. In the underground level, the lighting was dim, almost nonexistent. He could sense his sister and mother close by.

It seemed hours before he ever burst open through the Imperial laboratory. He was panting and sweating anxiously, his emotions slightly clouding his consciousness, and he was unable to see where everything was - the room was shrouded in darkness. The power was still off, and there were no lights around. Cautiously, Luke stepped forward.

As if an answer to his worries, a loud, droid-like sound filled his ears, and a sharp white light temporarily blinded him.

Rubbing his eyes in order to get used to the brightness, he grumbled, "Great. Power's back."

After blinking, he saw a dark lump around the corner of the table. Someone was dead.

But it wasn't Padme. It was Jaren.

The sallow-skinned man was draped loosely over Padme's body. Using the Force, Luke lifted the corpse and placed it gently atop another bare table. Leia was splayed on the floor, unconscious. Luke sighed in relief, seeing that she was not too injured.

His blue eyes then found his mother's face. _His mother's face. _

Immediately he rushed to her, put her in a sitting position. Cold perspiration covered Padme's body, and her face had turned a jaundice-grey color. It was a combination of a sickly complexion and a depressed expression. The remaining visible parts of her skin looked bruised black and blue. Her hand was bleeding slowly onto the ground.

Luke shook her gently.

"Sabe. . . Padme. It's Luke. Please, wake up. Wake up, please."

When she didn't respond, he tried using the Force to bring her back. It was no use. She had gone under.

"Come on! You can't die too. You can't. Please!" His voice was breaking as tears escaped the corners of his eyes.

She couldn't die! He had just discovered that she had survived all those years ago. They had never even known each other, never had a chance to truly form a relationship. Fate couldn't be this cruel so many times over. She had to live, but Luke could feel her presence weakening.

"Stay with me, Mother. I love you. Leia and I still need you. Stay with us, Mother."

Padme was light in her son's arms as Luke held her, crying softly.

And deep within her, something awoke.

She heard.


	27. Denouement of Sorts

**A/N: Congrats to those who figured out the mystery of Sabe/Padme. I was waiting to see when people would catch on, because I had a few references at the beginning of the story. Thanks as always!**

"Goodness gracious me - Artoo, you did it!" Threepio said loudly, patting his friend's dome appreciatively.

Chewbacca had to admit - the astromech deserved proper thanks. However, it would have to wait for later. Han was probably in trouble again, with only the Wookiee to help bail him out. Again.

[Transmit the message to all Nubian units. Threepio, stay here. I must go find Han.]

The protocol droid was flustered, almost affronted. "Why, Chewbacca! Come back here, you furball!" He yelled imploringly as Chewie bounded off in the opposite direction.

Once Threepio conceded to the fact that Chewbacca was not going to return, he said in a sort of exasperatedly relieved tone:

"Wookiees are just as confusing as humans, Artoo. I am convinced. If people were more like droids, the galaxy would be _so _much more peaceful. Oh, well. I suppose it's our lot in life. At least Master Luke treats us well."

Artoo beeped.

"Well! I don't care. I just cannot make sense of humans, and I am programmed to understand them. So, my domed companion, what have you to say? _You _certainly can't understand them either!"

The next sound the silver droid made was akin to a raspberry.

"Stop babbling, you lazy tin can! Just do what Chewbacca said!"

* * *

Han was taken aback as the lights switched back on with a bang.

"Shavit!" he said before he could stop himself.

Pantorin took the opportunity to lunge for his comm. He had underestimated the ex-smuggler when it blew into pieces.

"Don't go there, pal. Ain't gonna work. Now, I'm supposed to negotiate with ya. . . "

The Corellian stood there, wondering what sort of thing he had to do. This was Leia's kind of thing. She was the diplomat, he was just the tag-along that happened to be a dashing, handsome fighter.

"Look. You ain't gonna gain anything by refusing. The people of Naboo are already unhappy with you and your cronies, so giving up right now is the best option. You don't even need to be involved in the war any more, that a bright side."

The former Governor grumbled derogatory words to himself, which Han was not able to hear.

"What's that?"

"I said, 'Lousy shot.'"

Han Solo had never been very good at negotiations, or even keeping his temper. Especially when it came to the Empire.

Pantorin was out cold in his chair, his head lolling backward. He'd been hit with a stun bolt.

"I'll see you gentlemen later. The kid's up to something, and I bet he's gonna need some help. With whatever he's gotten himself into. Behave yourselves."

He left the occupants sleeping, and ran off towards where he knew Luke would be. On the second floor from the top, he noticed a large, seven-foot furry brown Wookiee running towards him.

"Chewie! Where've ya been? And what went wrong with the power down there?"

Chewbacca roared gladly, [I have been in the control room with the droids. The computer was acting up, and had to shut down the power. It rebooted a few minutes ago, and the small one should be carrying out orders. I came to find you. Where is Luke?]

"That's what I'm doing. We managed to outdo the head guy, but Luke ran off in the middle of negotiating. I'm lookin' for him now, 'cause he'll probably need some help, knowin' the kid."

[I agree. Do you know what direction he went?]

"Follow me," Han replied, grinning a little.

As many before them, the duo streaked their way down to the bottom of the Palace, occasionally confronting a couple of stormtroopers here and there. For the most part, the power outage had confused the troopers enough that Han and Chewbacca were not met with too much interference, and were beginning to wonder where Luke might be. They called his name at every new floor, but had so far been unable to pinpoint his location in the vast halls of the Palace.

"Luke! Kid! Are ya down here?"

Silence. Mere silence followed Han's loud voice, and frustrated him to no end. Luke couldn't have gotten himself hurt again, could he?

[Come, Han. Don't worry too much. He may still be below here,] Chewie woofed consolingly.

"You better be right Chewie," the Corellian replied, "'cause if Luke's dead, I'm gonna kill him."

The young man in question was wiping away the moisture from his face as he sensed people approaching. He recognized Han and Chewbacca outside somewhere.

"Han! Han, in here!" his voice was slightly hoarse, but still panicked and very anxious.

"Kid!" The door burst open, revealing the ex-smuggler and his co-pilot. They brandished their weapons and looked about the room until they saw Luke sitting disheveled on the floor.

"What happened? What's wrong with Leia? Is she hurt? Wait - what's he--" Han stopped thinking aloud once he caught sight of Jaren's body.

"I can explain later. Leia's just unconscious, but we've got to get to a hospital!" Luke was already standing, his mother, also unconscious, laying in his arms.

Han took the hint, and gently placed the Princess in his arms. "What about him?" He looked at the dead traitor, unsure.

"Chewie, can you get him?"

Nothing more could be said when the Jedi rushed out of the room, his companions working to stay at his pace. He didn't care. Padme needed help as soon as possible, and she was reaching death closer with every passing moment. He _must _save her.

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Luke yelled, almost hysterically.

"I'm a trained nurse, and just because the hospital is closed doesn't mean it lacks the equipment. Don't worry, Commander Skywalker. I care for Sabe too, and I'll do everything in my power to save her."

They had gone to the only place that had seemed logical - the broken-down hospital they had seen their first day on Naboo. It was a safe suggestion, but unreliable in the respect that it was closed. Nonetheless, Luke and Han had put Padme and Leia on gurneys. By chance, or will of the Force, they had run into a fellow Blue Hans Squadron member, Elle Nagra, who was a professional medical aide.

"But how are you supposed to run the machines without any power?" Han said, rolling Leia along.

"I'm adept at more primitive methods, which usually prove to be just as effective. Here, set them net to each other. Yes, now lock the wheels, that's it. All right, now Commander, please get me instruments from the cabinets, anything you can find. And General, please go and scavenge the front desks for anything suitable." With that, Elle went about lifting Sabe's eyelids, checking her pulse, and checking certain points on her skin.

When the two men returned, her brow was knit in confusion.

"What's happened to her? She's sweating, ice cold, yet has a strange clammy fever, and her pulse is far too slow. The whites of her eyes are turning color. I've never seen anything like it. I've fixed up her hand, and taken out the glass. What happened?" She repeated her question.

Luke hesitated. He realized that he really didn't know, but could deduce what was going on. After all, Jaren had been hunched over her.

"You saw. Jaren Siol is dead."

She nodded, waiting. Han was also looking at him, being that he himself did not completely understand the situation.

"Well, I'm not sure. But when I found them all, he was hunched over her. She had a blaster in her hand, and we can only assume that. . . that she killed him. I don't know why, but it appeared as if there was a struggle."

"It must have been some struggle," she said while holding onto several tubes. Holding the end of an IV in her mouth, she continued, "General, give me the defibrillators. Her heart rate needs to come up, and the best thing to get her awake is going to be jolt. Either of pain, or electricity."

Elle counted under her breath. A second after one, nothing substantial happened. Padme's pulse neither raised nor lowered.

"I don't care whether we're wanted men. We've got to get her to a real hospital."


	28. At the Edge

The air was possessed of a long-forgotten scent, foreign and lovingly familiar at the same time. She did not know where she was, or how exactly she had gotten there, but she knew that she had been waiting a long time. She looked around, treading on soft, solid ground. Her surroundings now came into view.

Below her bare feet grew a luscious green grass that appeared perfect in every detail. Other than the luscious grass, she could not see much of anything else because of a dense fog, which made her a little chilly. However, she noticed that there were no particularly outlined paths to indicate direction. Looking ahead, she noticed a well made of gray stone. It was full of water.

It was also the only thing other than grass in sight.

As if a moth attracted to light, she walked forward, wondering the significance of the serene well. She noticed that the water was completely undisturbed as she bent over it. She felt a strange, needy desire to touch it. To disturb its equilibrium. She felt that it wasn't meant to simply be peaceful and still. It was meant to move.

A single finger later, and slow ripples made their way across the surface.

That's when the fog dissipated completely.

"Padme."

She whipped around as the reflection of a man formed in the moving water. She found that he too was familiar. It now occurred to her to wonder where she was. Her mind was coming back to her. She had questions.

"Who are you?"

The youngish looking man smiled genuinely. His blue eyes twinkled with a caring light as he held out his hand.

Barely a moment passed before she took it. She felt that she could trust him. Yes, their hands molded perfectly with each other. The cold she had felt before faded when she touched him - he was warm.

"Walk with me."

She found that she didn't need to nod, or even indicate approval. She followed silently.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly.

"For what?"

"Come to the well again, and I can show you." He took her hand again. He was going to jump into the well with her.

She was apprehensive now. What else was there besides moving, ever-chaotic water?

"Please," his eyes pleaded, "trust me."

She closed her eyes as they jumped in. There was no wetness, she realized, as she opened them again. She also realized that the scenery had changed - she was looking at two small girls, romping in tall grass. They were laughing and teasing each other happily.

They were sisters.

"Do you see?" The blond man whispered.

Shakily, she answered, "Yes. It is. . . me. I remember us. I remember Sola, and Mother, and Father. We're in our home in the country. I am six years old, and Sola is almost nine."

The scene changed as she finished. A young brunette girl in a formal red robe was addressing a room of people, anxious and confident. She was passionate and compassionate, her words struck through to the core. People clapped and smiled, and she was smiling on the inside and outside, for once.

"My debut as an Apprentice Legislator. I was eleven." She watched in awe as her past played out, then faded to a new vision.

The girl appeared much older, covered in stark white makeup and clothed in majestic and elaborate dresses. Her air was regal and austere, but inside she sensed her own nervousness. Her fear and uncertainty made her stiff and overly alert. While decked glamorously on the exterior she felt ever the child and fraud beneath her royal mask.

"I am Queen Amidala, fourteen years old and newly elected."

The apparitions didn't fade. Instead, they were prolonged and she took everything in.

_"Are you an angel?" She noticed that the man beside her fidgeted._

_"What?" She replied, taken aback._

_"An angel. I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They live on the moon of Iego, I think."_

_She smiled kindly, as if indulging in the gibberish of a small child. "You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"_

_It was later, when he told her his name, she realized maybe he wasn't as small a child as she had thought._

_"I'm a _person _and my name is Anakin!"_

Anyone else might have been annoyed with his tempered words; she was only moved. She stayed silent this time, not even bothering to recall the events that were slowly coming back to her mind and memory.

_"I made this for you. So you'll remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet. It'll bring you good fortune." Little Anakin held a small, off-white stone._

_"It's beautiful. But I don't need this to remember you by." There was a pause. She hated to deceive this boy, whom she had so grown to care for. But if she did not, she risked lives, including her own._

_"Many things will change when we reach the Capital, Ani. But my caring for you will remain."_

She had been wholly honest. As the nine year old Anakin fell asleep, things changed again. She saw herself drawn up with more womanly experience and confidence.

_"__Wake up, Senators... you must wake up! If we offer the Separatists violence, they can only show us violence in return! Many will lose their lives. All will lose their freedom._" There was desperation in her headstrong speech. Maybe unconsciously, she had known where things would lead. It was only a primal instinct to defend after being offended. Negotiation was only second to that.

_"Ani? My goodness, you've grown." _Yes, into a young man. Had she really known him all those years ago?

She looked to her left. Anakin was standing there, an indescribable look on his face.

_"You're not all powerful, Ani." _Grief, she knew, was probably the first step to acceptance. That, and a degree of denial. He needed to accept the flow of life and death - they were natural. Grieving and denial could only last so long before they turned bitter.

_"I truly...deeply...love you...and before we die I want you to know." _ It was true. He had matured from the nine year old podracer he once was. Instead, he was a handsome padawan. He understood her and loved her for who she was, every single bit of her. She loved him for his goodness, his newfound wisdom, his recklessness, his charm.

The real Anakin brushed his fingers against hers. She smiled. However, he kept still with anticipation.

_"Ani. . . I'm pregnant." __It was to the point. For all of her diplomatic finesse, these moments with her husband were the times where she found herself easier to express with more bluntness. Her anxiety was alleviated when she saw joy spreading across his face._

_"I want more. . . but I _know _I shouldn't." _Was he turning his head in shame? His eyes, the beautiful blue orbs, were clouded.

_"I can't believe what I'm hearing. Obi-Wan was right. You've _changed._"_

Padme found herself crying as she watched her own downfall. She remembered. She had been Padme for twenty-seven conscious years, Sabe for eleven others. Eleven wasted years, they were.

Back on the grass, Padme sobbed into her knees, sitting.

"Padme." Anakin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Anakin." Her voice was breaking.

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry."

Wiping away the tears, Padme met his eyes. "And what am I supposed to say? I _can't _forgive you Anakin! I know what became of the man named Vader! I know of all the atrocities you committed. Now I remember every single detail of the day you left everything behind." She was standing, her voice considerably louder now. Anger and misery was flowing through her veins.

"You left me, and our children behind! Because of you they grew up without true parents, without us! You took that away from me. Because of you I spent half my life without a memory and had to work my way to survive. Because of you _I can't feel anything anymore! _I've been drifting by without happiness and love, only pain. Every day that you left me, Anakin, was another day of torment."

Her husband's head was bowed. He was ashamed, but that fact gave her little satisfaction. It only frustrated her more that he didn't try to deny her accusations. "What are you even doing. . . wherever here is?"

"Luke."

"What?"

"He saw what you saw. He turned me back. I killed the Emperor."

_There's good in him. . . I know, I know there's. . . still._


	29. In Between the Precipice

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?"

It had been two days since Luke had discovered her. Leia had awoken shortly after they arrived at the hospital to a worried Han. After learning of her location, she told them why Sabe had killed Jaren.

"He was a traitor. I think, I'm not sure, that he tried to kill her first, but I was knocked out before I could tell. I'm guessing that's what happened."

People were surprised. Nobody had suspected why Jaren Siol, of all people would defect. Everyone related with him had been waiting for answers. Specifically, answers from the woman who had stopped him. Meanwhile, Luke hadn't yet revealed Sabe's true identity. He knew he needed to tell Leia. Everything from start to finish.

But so far she had been busy with the Imperials. Not even her sore ribs and back would stop her from retaking her position as leader. Nevertheless, her efforts were rewarded when most of the Imperials, finally disillusioned from Palpatine, joined the Alliance. The few staunch supporters were left to a remote city away from the Capital, where they would stay from the time being. Under the threat of the Rebels, they complied.

Already a celebration was in the making by both the Gungans and the happy citizens of Naboo. Instead of rioters, people were rejoicing in the streets. The remaining members of Blue Hand Squadron were revered as native heroes, and the group headed by Princess Leia were also looked up to with considerable admiration. Luke decided that he enjoyed the ability to walk in the street without having to worry too much about getting shot at. Han and Chewie felt much the same.

However, Luke hadn't done much strolling in the nice weather. He had stayed, haunting the hospital every day for any sign of his mother's recovery. She was hooked up to several machines, and a mask provided her steady supplies of oxygen.

Though her condition was stable, nothing the doctors had done so far were able to resuscitate her.

Leia was beginning to become suspicious, as did most of the hospital personnel, of Luke's strange reluctance to leave "Sabe's" side. Luke finally decided to answer her unspoken questions.

"I don't know, Luke. Why don't you come away from here for a while? You don't look like you've had enough sleep."

"I haven't. Come with me, Leia. I've got to tell you something." He led her to the vacant seating area. No one was around.

His sister was a little apprehensive. The last time he'd had to tell her something, she hadn't been very happy about it.

"Wait, Luke. Is this. . . about Vader?"

"No," he said, somewhat distractedly, "it's not. It's something I think you'll like hearing."

She nodded slowly. She was still wary.

With this semi-positive approval, Luke continued. "Alright. Do you remember when I asked you about your mother? Our mother?"

Another nod.

"Yes. Kind, beautiful, but sad, you said. I wonder why I can't remember that. I don't remember a thing about her. But I know her presence in the Force, Leia. I can feel it, as weak as it is, right now."

Something in her brother's eyes told Leia that she too should take a moment to reach out with her senses. Even without the Force, she knew. Her body tensed, unsure and hoping.

"Luke. . . are you really trying to tell me that. . . that _Sabe _is our mother?"

"Yes. It's true. Can't you feel that too? I sensed something, when we first met her. She had a familiar effect, but I also could tell she had something to hide. That had been what she was hiding all along."

Leia's lips pursed slightly as her eyebrows scrunched. "But why? Why would she hide it?"

"That's something I think I know the answer to. I wondered that a little too. She had amnesia. I'm still missing a few bits here and there, but I dreamt, or I saw, her dream. When she was gaining back some of her memory, she remembered our births and I saw it. She-she said there was still good in him. In our father, and then she passed out.

"Then, I also remembered -I'm not sure how- our father turning on her. Her heart was breaking. I felt it. I think that, coupled with our birth, was just too much for her, and then something pushed her old self back. Something psychological. Does that make sense?"

After a moment of consideration, Leia replied, "Yes. Yes, it does. Trauma can do that. Once she became unconscious she worked hard to move on, but did it in the wrong direction, and it back fired."

"Right. But I don't understand why no one found her sooner! There's still lots of things that have been left unexplained," Luke repeated in a frustrated manner. "She's alive, but can it stay that way for long?"

A shadow crossed the Princess' face. "I don't know, Luke. I hope so."

* * *

Padme's expression changed completely. Without hesitation, she opened her arms and held Anakin tightly. She was crying again, but they were tears of joy. In that strange world of limbo, husband and wife were reunited, hugging and crying on each other.

"I've missed you, Padme. For the past twenty three years, every day, I couldn't forget you. I love you."

"If you're sorry, then I must forgive you. I can't believe that I had forgotten everything. I forgot about us. But I'll never forget again, Anakin. Because I love you, and our children. Yet. . ." She trailed off.

"No, Padme. You are not dead," Anakin said, sensing her curiosity.

"Well then where is this?"

Her husband smiled again. "I think I should get someone better suited to explain that."

That made her confused. Her heart rose when she saw another familiar figure appear behind Anakin.

"Obi-Wan!"

He was exactly as she remembered him from all those years ago. He was smiling warmly at both of them.

"Padme - it is refreshing to talk to one of the living again. To answer your question, this is your dream."

That only confused her more. She had ever fully grasped the metaphysical aspects of the Force.

"My-my dream? But then, is this real? If it's in my head. . ."

Obi-Wan just kept smiling. "Just because it is in your head, what makes you think this isn't real?"

He touched her shoulder. The pressure was definitely not a mere apparition.

"This is your own dream, the form of the world between worlds. It is the place, this _limbo _as some call it, in which those in the Netherworld of the Force can return to consciousness yet still remain out of physical being. In other words, a very pleasant purgatory where the dead watch and guide over the living. my old Master Qui-Gon was the first in a long time to succeed in reaching this world. Force-sensitives are more able than people otherwise, but in a few cases, non-Force-sensitives are attempting to open the barrier between the next world and this."

Padme believed that she understood. Sort of.

"I think I see. What does it mean, then, if I am here? Am I going to die?"

"That, in a sense, depends on your willingness to return. Secondly, it depends on what the world of living is doing to keep you with them."

"But I don't know what they're doing. Can I possibly see?"

The former Jedi Master walked to the well, and the three crowded around it. Instantly, Padme saw herself. She was on a bed in a hospital. Her eyes were closed. This was happening in the present.

"What was it that I was injected with?"

"Siol was telling the truth when he talked about Nuno Vindi's old virus. One thing he neglected to mention was the antidote. It's different from what we had used before. I don't know if Luke will find it in time. But have faith," said Anakin.

"So that means I'm stuck here until they figure out something. Correct?"

"You always were a smart woman," answered Obi-Wan.

She sighed. "Can't we. . . give him some sort of subconscious warning? As nice as it is here, I'm not ready to pass on yet. The twins need me, and I feel the same way. I need a chance to know them."

* * *

Luke paced around the door to his mother's room. Leia, tired and a little overwhelmed, had gone back to the Naberrie house to break the news to them.

If only he knew what Jaren had done to her, maybe he could fix it.

_Fix it. . ._

Immediately, Luke knew what had to be done. He needed to return to the lab and search for the disease. There was still hope of finding a way to reverse it, to find an antidote. He set off for the Palace once more.

Inside the laboratory, he switched on the lights. The cabinets were full of different substances, all of which he decided to pack in a box. He would inspect them later, and get someone to help analyze them. The broken needle was still on the floor. He put that in a bag.

Nothing around the room was marked. But on the tabletop, Luke did find a piece of flimsi with several notes.

_Blue Shadow Plague, Item 573246_

Upon further investigation, he found more flimsi and datapads in drawers. They were labeled similarly, and had varying symptoms. Curious. He placed them inside the box as well. Once Luke had recovered as much as possible, he left, a large container in tow.

When he arrived again at the hospital, he found Artoo. It was perfect.

"Hey, Artoo. I need your help. Where's Threepio?"

"Why hello Master Luke. How may I be of assistance?"


	30. And Back Again

As a Jedi, Luke knew that patience and calm were key to a clear path.

As of right now, he thought, _Screw the clear path!_

He had been working deep into the night and early hours of the morning to find the disease, and possibly, a way to get rid of it.

The droids had been helping him as well. Threepio, with his immense knowledge, was able to provide different tips on what kind of origins the wretched thing might have. He was also helpful when deducing what the liquid would look like. Artoo, on the other hand, was using his sensors to match the substance found on the glass to one of the many vials that Luke had gathered.

Yet after so much time, their work had yielded nothing.

Agitated by his failure, Luke left the droids and snuck into his mother's room. The light was dim, and comforting. He pulled a chair to her bedside, and exhaled wearily. What was he to do?

His fingers fumbled until they wrapped around hers. They were still cold, despite the temperature of the room, and the blankets that covered her. He was holding her bandaged hand, and took several moments, just gazing at her face.

She was his mother. An elusive image that he had never grasped. A woman he had never before known, or spoken to. She had touched him once after his birth. Her soft skin, he sensed, hadn't changed over the last two decades.

But what would they be in another week? Withered and lifeless?

Luke found that he couldn't stay there any longer. The sight of Padme only seemed to stress him more.

While approaching the droids, he caught them arguing again, as usual.

"Don't be ridiculous, Artoo. Mister Siol wouldn't carry the antidote on him - it's absurd. The chances of that are three hundred ninety-four thousand, six hundred and eighty-two to one!"

The astromech beeped something. It must have been derogatory, because an affronted Threepio spoke louder than before.

"If Master Luke hadn't asked me to work with you, you sorry trash bin, I wouldn't be here!"

One good thing sparked in Luke's mind. Even if the chances were in the hundred thousands, it was better than the millions.

Taking out his comlink, he pressed in Han's frequency code.

_"Hey, kid. How are ya? How's Sabe - I mean, you're mom - doing?"_

"That's what I'm calling you for. Listen, Han, where's Jaren's body."

Luke could almost hear the Corellian scowling across the connection. _"They've got his body hanging around at headquarters. They're not really sure what to do with him yet. What are you askin' for?"_

"I need to search it. He may have something valuable in his clothes."

There was a pause. _"Okay, kid. When do you want to have it? Are ya getting it here, or should I bring it over?"_

_"Bring what over? Han, is that Luke?" _It was Leia.

_"Yeah," _the sound was quieter. Han must have turned away from the comm.

_"What is it?"_

_"He wants Siol's body. He says there might be something in the clothes or whatever."_

_"Alright. Let's bring it to him. I want to be there."_

_"Did ya hear that, kid?"_

"Sure thing. I'll be waiting." The connection fazed out. Luke sighed again for probably the tenth time that day.

* * *

"What do you think is going to be in here?" Leia asked, rolling the casket.

"He may have the treatment. According to Threepio there's little chance of that, but there's still a chance."

"Don't worry about Goldenrod, he usually turns out to be wrong. Or we just defy the odds."

The trio almost laughed. Once they were in an empty room, Luke lifted the coffin's cover. The stench of death filled his nostrils, but he prevented himself from coughing like Han and Leia were.

Luke gingerly lifted Jaren's jacket from the corpse, and then examined the pockets. Nothing. He shook it this way and that, but to no avail. Undaunted, the Jedi used the Force to take Jaren's body and lay it on the table. He turned the dead thing over twice. He carefully checked the pockets while Han and Leia watched in slight disgust. Nothing came of this search either.

"What about the boots? He might have something in there."

Han's eyebrows were raised, but Luke paid them no heed. He yanked Jaren's boots off.

A small slip of flimsi slipped to the floor.

Leia snatched it up quickly. "Luke! Luke, it's a formula. Look here."

Indeed it was. Upon unfolding the sheet, one would see a diagram dotted with phrases and letters. On the opposite side of the flimsi was a different, smaller diagram with a lengthy description.

"I suppose he though the safest place to keep it was with himself."

"But what do all these mean. Some of it is in Basic, other parts are Aurebesh, but I don't know this code. It's like a bunch of stick figures that are dancing around."

"Well, is code included in over six million forms of communication?"

* * *

"Luke is smarter than I gave him credit for," Padme said, watching them from the well.

She would be returning soon. She was excited at the prospect of congratulating them all personally. At the same time, she remembered that Anakin would not be coming with her.

"Will I see you again?"

He seemed to understand what she was talking about. "I will always be watching over you, Padme. I'll be watching over them as well, but I might appear occasionally. I'll be with you, even when you can't see me. You were my angel once, now I have a chance to be yours."

Padme smiled. "Is it possible to . . . do _something _in this world?"

"It's_ your_ dream."

Tentatively, she placed her hands around his neck and slowly, put her lips on his.

It was as real a kiss as ever. She felt truly connected with Anakin, in a new way they had never experienced before. It lingered or a few moments before Obi-Wan cleared his throat, cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

"I believe it's time, Padme."

She and Anakin looked at each other. Slowly, she tore her gaze away and rose from her sitting position.

"What do I have to do now? Tap my shoes together?"

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Not quite. Concentrate your thoughts on what you are returning to. Once you have achieved complete immersion in that state of mind, you will find yourself in that comfortable hospital bed with a bad body ache and a couple of worried youths hovering over you."

Anakin nudged his old master for the sarcasm.

"I can do that. But before I go," she hugged Obi-Wan. He was a little surprised, but hugged her back.

"Thank you. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't be down there. Neither would they." He nodded his welcome.

Smiling, Padme gave Anakin a final kiss.

"I'll make Leia see. I love you, Anakin. Don't forget your promise."

She took a few steps back, and breathed in deeply. Eyes closed, she thought about the beautiful faces of Luke and Leia. They filled her senses, surrounded her, and she could literally feel their very presence, everything. She was going home, to where she truly belonged.


	31. Of Course

A different, more solid feeling entered her being, and her hand felt contact with another's skin. Her eyelashes fluttered open, and she breathed.

"Luke," she said, feeling his hand gently holding hers.

"Leia." Her daughter stood at the end of the bed, arms draped casually over the footboard.

"Do you know who we are, really?" Luke asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

She answered by placing her arms around his neck and holding him close to her with motherly affection.

"Yes," she whispered, "yes, I do, my children."

Padme felt another pair of arms surround her. "I love you both, so dearly. I'll never leave you again, I promise."

Mother, daughter, and son embraced each other for the first time, and when they parted, all had moist eyes. But enough tears had passed throughout the course of the last few days. They found that they had none left to shed.

Truly, four Skywalkers were in the room that day, a fact which Padme was blissfully aware. She felt that the smile could never part from her face.

* * *

"I can't wait to get out of here. I know how good Elle has been, but I'm just so tired to sitting around here."

"I know, Mother. You'll have to prepare yourself though. Jar Jar is waiting at the house and he's rather, uh, excited. He hasn't yet gotten the chance to visit."

Padme smiled knowingly. It had been a week since her children had found the antidote and brewed it according to instruction. She had taken a full recovery in just a week, and was more than ready to return home.

Sola and the rest of her family had visited several times already, and there had been a few tears on both sides at first. Sola couldn't believe how she hadn't noticed her own sister all those years. Of course, Padme had forgiven her.

The unfortunate sentients at the refugee underground were being reorganized. Because of the newfound liberty of Nubian society, Pooja had taken the responsibility of putting them in proper care, and, in some cases, homes and occupations.

To say the least, Padme's life was going well. For now, the war had gone from everyone's mind with the reconstruction of Naboo. Elections would go on soon, and Pooja, along with Blue Hand Squadron, would be the temporary government until an organized movement could be formed.

Padme was being discharged today. A small gathering was to be held at the Naberrie house in her honor, and tomorrow, there would be a public celebration. It was just like old times.

As she waited with both her family and Captain Solo, she noticed the Corellian in question holding hands casually with her daughter. She made a mental note to herself that she would need to get acquainted with Han a little better; and then she would need to have a talk with Leia.

Such thoughts faded from her mind as Luke wheeled her into the back of the aircab, and the group set off towards the Naberrie house. While inside the cab, Padme held the japor snippet - it had been a constant to her throughout her lifetime. It was a symbol of love, death, and rebirth. It had been vital to her memory all along.

Tucking it back inside her robe, she wheeled herself out of the aircab, down a convenient ramp. Her son took the handlebars from behind, and led her into the house, and up the stairs.

When the door opened, Padme saw at least two dozen faces, all with inquisitively happy expressions.

"Here, Luke, help me out."

"Are you sure?" She place her hand on his outstretched arm, and rose from the wheelchair.

"Absolutely."

She smiled at the crowd facing her. They clapped, and she recognized each face with detail. At the front was her own family, and behind them were a group of women who resembled her - her former handmaidens and friends, Sache, Yane, Rabe, Motee, Elle, Dorme, and Verse. Behind them, there were Nubian friends she had known from her time as Senator. Finally, separated from the rest were her Gungan friends. Jar Jar in particular looked teary.

"Thank you, thank you. I'm so delighted to be with you all again. And I'm so sorry that we haven't reunited sooner."

The guests crowded around her, reminiscing, talking about how they had lasted in the past two decades, and once again enjoying the company of the great Padme Amidala. Meanwhile, her children merely sunk into the background, observing contentedly.

"All's well that ends well, right?"

Leia smirked. "Han, when did you pick up poetry?"

"Poetry, sweetheart? Nowhere. Since when is that poetry?"

The Princess shook her head, and walked away to the terrace. Han winked at Luke and Chewie, both of whom rolled their eyes and left the lovebirds to find food. After making sure that the Wookiee and Jedi were gone, Han took Leia's hand, and brushed his lips against the back of it.

"Han, what are you doing?" Leia asked, not a little perturbed.

Without a word, Han knelt onto one knee.

"Han, you're scaring me."

Nervously, Han started speaking at a faster rate than usual.

"Leia, I've known you for four years, but it seems a lot longer. It took me three of them to realize that I was in love with you. And, honey, don't stop me, or I might change my mind."

He continued, looking at her with his earnest hazel eyes, "You're one of the most headstrong, stubborn, and short women I've ever met. But you're also beautiful, caring, and I can't help but love you. Even the stubbornness."

Han was rummaging in his pocket.

"Leia Organa, will you marry me?" In his hand was a small black box. Inside was a shimmering ring of white gold and small, yet delicate design of a couple of clear, glittering gems.

Leia was so shocked that she found herself speechless. Han could feel his courage literally melting away. His nerve had somehow run and eloped with his sense of self-preservation. He was gritting his teeth in frustration by the time she found her voice.

"Nerfherder. Of course I will!"

So excited was Han that as soon as he placed the ring on her finger -his fiancee's finger- he kissed her while twirling her around.

It was then that the couple heard clapping and laughter behind them. The crowd had witnessed Han's entire proposal, and was moved. Luke and Sola were smirking as if they had helped orchestrate the whole affair, and Padme was grinning. Chewie came up to hug the couple, but they had to request him to release them for fear of being suffocated.

[Congratulations, Han! Now you can have many little cubs.]

Han and Leia went red, while Luke, Padme, and Pooja (the only ones who understood Shyriiwook) laughed heartily.

* * *

A Gungan horn blasted within the crowded street. Banners, confetti, and rice flew everywhere as the procession paraded down the street and up to the Palace steps. People were screaming and cheering nonsensically, children ran merrily about, and aliens of all kinds were running about in freedom.

It was Independence Day.

"Citizens of Naboo," Leia's voice boomed with the help of a microphone, "the tyranny you have experienced for so long is no more!"

Padme could feel her eardrums popping as people began clapping and cheering even harder than before.

"Today marks the dawning of a new world. I pray that you will help lead it with wise and compassionate rulers. Your decisions will affect the lives of many in the galaxy, and I implore everyone to have faith in freedom, liberty, and justice. May the Force be with us all."

With that, Leia descended the podium and the audience gave her a standing ovation.

"Good job," her mother whispered.

"Where's Luke?" Leia asked sharply.

He wasn't there. As a matter of fact, Padme had seen him disappearing right as Leia had begun speaking. Suddenly, Luke popped out of nowhere, tapping his mother on the back.

"Um. . . I hate to say this, but Mon Mothma's on the comm. I've been talking to her. We've got a new mission."

Han slapped himself on the forehead in an exasperated fashion. "We _just _finished with another one!"

"As they say, all is fair in love and war," Padme commented.

"Yeah, but that depends which side you're on."

The group sifted their way through the celebration to reach Artoo, who was projecting the image of the serene Chandrila Senator.

_"Congratulations, once again. I'm sorry this is on such short notice, but there's a dilemma on an Outer Rim supplier. This time is more urgent than the last, because we need you all, including Senator Amidala if she so chooses, for our Coruscant assault. We're going through a weapons shortage and are in dire need of that supplier's product. Once again, I've sent the coordinates to your Artoo unit and General Solo's ship. If you've got any questions, use the high-security encrypt code for the _Admiral Ackbar. _I would suggest that you get on course tomorrow. __May the Force be with you."_

"Here we go again. Chewie, let's hit the food and then we'll prep the _Falcon!_"

Artoo whistled happily.

"Another adventure? Exciting? What rubbish, Artoo."

When only the Skywalkers were left, Leia said with a slight smirk, "So, mother, are you up for another adventure?"

Padme smiled. The 'someday' had come - her children needed her. There was nothing else to say but:

"Of course."

**A/N: I have reached the last chapter, my first-ever multi-chapter to be completed. However, if you don't already suspect it, there is to be a sequel in which some issues are resolved. Thank you again to all the wonderful reviewers that have given some good feedback, and I hope you'll join me again when I get the sequel up. But for now. . . _The End._**


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